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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. rest — a break
  6. craft — boats
  7. rest — what's left
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — to bear
  11. chip — for betting
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. snap — to click
  20. chip — to eat
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. rest — what's left
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. craft — a skill

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