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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: patient · cabinet · object · chip · perch · craft · rock · sharp

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. craft — a skill
  5. rock — a stone
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. sharp — clever
  9. object — an aim
  10. object — a thing
  11. perch — the fish
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. object — to protest
  14. craft — boats
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. rock — music
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. chip — for betting
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. chip — to eat

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