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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: squash · pass · craft · patient · current · lash · wax · content

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. current — of water
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — boats
  11. current — electric
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wax — to grow
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. squash — the sport
  18. current — happening now
  19. pass — a permit
  20. squash — to crush
  21. content — happy
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. content — the amount
  24. wax — for sculpting

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