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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: chip · patient · stand · craft · wax · suit · scale · last

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. craft — boats
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. last — final
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. chip — to eat
  7. scale — in music
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. wax — to grow
  10. suit — clothes
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. suit — in cards
  13. craft — a skill
  14. last — to go on
  15. suit — to fit
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. scale — size or range
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — for betting
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. stand — to bear
  24. last — finally

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