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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. firm — a company
  5. saw — the tool
  6. craft — a skill
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. firm — decided
  9. fine — high quality
  10. ground — a position
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. craft — boats
  13. rash — a series
  14. ground — crushed
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. saw — the tool
  18. rash — hasty
  19. fine — all right
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. firm — steady
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com