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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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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: craft · patient · rash · saw · firm · wind · lie · mouse

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rash — a series
  3. rash — hasty
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. saw — the tool
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. firm — a company
  12. wind — moving air
  13. wind — moving air
  14. craft — a skill
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. firm — steady
  18. lie — to recline
  19. craft — boats
  20. firm — decided
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. mouse — for a computer

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