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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
468
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: safe · craft · patient · fine · bark · capital · cabinet · ruler

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. craft — boats
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bark — to shout
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. fine — high quality
  11. capital — a city
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. craft — a skill
  24. capital — money

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