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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: cell · key · patient · craft · mug · wake · jam · wave

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. craft — a skill
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. mug — a cup
  7. mug — to rob
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. craft — boats
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. key — the most important part
  16. cell — in biology
  17. mug — a face
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. cell — a phone
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. key — in music

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