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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: lean · root · cap · leaves · hand · patient · bear · craft

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. cap — of ice
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. cap — a lid
  6. lean — thin
  7. root — of a plant
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bear — the animal
  12. root — the cause
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. bear — the animal
  17. hand — in cards
  18. root — of a word
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. lean — to bend
  21. craft — boats
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. hand — help
  24. hand — part of the body

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