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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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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: tear · fork · patient · craft · band · mark · saw · calf

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. craft — a skill
  5. mark — a trace
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. tear — to rip
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. craft — boats
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mark — a grade
  15. band — a music group
  16. saw — the tool
  17. tear — from crying
  18. tear — from crying
  19. band — a ring
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. fork — in a road
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. calf — a young animal

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