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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 120 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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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: mouse · kid · patient · board · content · bowl · kick · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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. kick — in football
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. board — a committee
  8. content — the amount
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. kid — child
  11. craft — a skill
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. content — happy
  14. board — to get on
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. kid — to tease
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. craft — boats
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. bowl — a dish

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