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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.

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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: object · patient · capital · arm · craft · cell · pit · fine

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — a skill
  3. pit — in a race
  4. object — an aim
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. object — to protest
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — high quality
  14. object — a thing
  15. capital — a city
  16. capital — money
  17. craft — boats
  18. cell — a phone
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. cell — in biology
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. fine — a penalty

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