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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: patient · chair · suit · nail · club · craft

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. club — for dancing
  7. craft — boats
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. club — a group
  10. suit — in cards
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. club — for golf
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. craft — a skill
  15. chair — a leader
  16. suit — clothes
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. nail — for a hammer

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