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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: nail · craft · safe · stick · spring · pass · patient · scale

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. craft — a skill
  4. scale — in music
  5. spring — of water
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. spring — the season
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. scale — size or range
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. craft — boats
  20. spring — a coil
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. scale — for weighing

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