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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 124 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 transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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 skill
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stock — goods
  5. spring — of water
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stock — shares
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. spring — a coil
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. spring — the season
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. craft — boats

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