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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: dip · drill · craft · chair · patient · pound · wax · sharp

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. drill — army training
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — boats
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. craft — a skill
  8. pound — a weight
  9. wax — to grow
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. drill — a practice
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — clever
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. dip — to sink
  23. drill — the tool
  24. chair — a leader

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