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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: craft · ball · key · game · dip · sharp · patient · lie

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. key — the most important part
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a great time
  7. dip — to sink
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. lie — to recline
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. key — in music
  14. sharp — clever
  15. game — wild animals
  16. craft — a skill
  17. game — a match
  18. ball — a dance
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. key — for a lock
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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