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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 116 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: mouse · trunk · patient · firm · wake · file · bay · craft

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. wake — a trail
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — boats
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. firm — a company
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. firm — decided
  11. file — a tool
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. file — a document
  15. file — a line of people
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. firm — steady
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. trunk — of a car

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