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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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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: patient · plane · track · craft · sharp · key · cue · net

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. craft — a skill
  4. track — a path
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. key — the most important part
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. key — in music
  9. key — for a lock
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cue — for pool
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. track — to keep track
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. craft — boats
  17. track — a song
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. net — for catching
  22. cue — a hint
  23. net — after costs
  24. net — in sport

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