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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: chair · craft · bowl · arm · suit · patient · lash · sharp

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. suit — to fit
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. craft — boats
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. suit — clothes
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. chair — a leader
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. craft — a skill
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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