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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 116 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: mouse · stem · kid · hide · firm · racket · patient · craft

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  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. craft — a skill
  2. firm — decided
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. kid — child
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — to come from
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. kid — to tease
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. firm — steady
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. craft — boats
  21. firm — a company
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. mouse — the animal
  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