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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: cell · patient · wake · craft · last · board · bulb · spell

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. last — to go on
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. last — finally
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cell — in biology
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bulb — for light
  13. last — final
  14. spell — a short time
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. spell — magic
  17. spell — letters
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — boats
  20. bulb — for light
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. board — a committee

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