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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 120 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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. craft — boats
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. mate — to breed
  6. craft — a skill
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mark — a trace
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. mark — a grade
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. content — the amount
  17. mate — a friend
  18. mate — a partner
  19. fine — high quality
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. content — happy
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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