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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: bay · game · patient · lean · mug · present · fine · craft

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. mug — a cup
  3. fine — high quality
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. lean — to bend
  7. craft — boats
  8. present — a gift
  9. present — the time now
  10. game — wild animals
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. fine — all right
  13. lean — thin
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. game — a match
  16. craft — a skill
  17. mug — a face
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. present — there
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. patient — a sick person

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