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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: ruler · lean · lash · sharp · patient · craft · stick · content

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. craft — a skill
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. content — the amount
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. craft — boats
  7. sharp — clever
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. content — happy
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. lean — thin
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. lean — to bend

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