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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.

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: patient · craft · wound · club · season · root · nail · bass

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. club — for dancing
  3. craft — boats
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. root — the cause
  9. club — for golf
  10. wound — an injury
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. club — a group
  14. wound — an injury
  15. season — of the year
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bass — the fish
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. season — in sport
  22. craft — a skill
  23. root — of a word
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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