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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: racket · craft · stand · deal · patient · bore · clip · face

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. clip — for paper
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. face — to confront
  5. face — to point toward
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bore — to tire
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. clip — to cut
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. craft — boats
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. clip — a video
  18. stand — to bear
  19. craft — a skill
  20. face — part of the head
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bore — to drill
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bore — gave birth

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