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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: present · kid · deal · sharp · patient · foot · craft · race

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. deal — to handle
  4. present — a gift
  5. kid — child
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. kid — to tease
  8. race — a contest
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. sharp — clever
  11. race — the arms race
  12. craft — a skill
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. craft — boats
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. race — humankind
  23. foot — a measure
  24. present — there

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