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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.

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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: hand · firm · mouse · present · craft · wound · patient · rest

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. present — there
  5. hand — help
  6. hand — in cards
  7. wound — an injury
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. rest — a break
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — decided
  12. present — the time now
  13. firm — a company
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. craft — a skill
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. present — a gift
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. wound — an injury
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. craft — boats

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