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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: craft · stand · swing · key · pound · patient

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. craft — boats
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. craft — a skill
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. swing — music
  11. key — in music
  12. swing — in golf
  13. swing — to play on
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. stand — to bear
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — for a lock

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