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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.

Make a worksheet

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: mine · craft · spell · chest · dip · mug · patient · wave

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. mug — to rob
  4. dip — to sink
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. spell — a short time
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. spell — letters
  13. mine — for digging
  14. mug — a cup
  15. craft — boats
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mug — a face
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. craft — a skill
  23. chest — a box
  24. wave — of the sea

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