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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: pitcher · patient · craft · rash · rock · plane · roll · toast

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. roll — a cake
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. rock — music
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. plane — a tool
  9. toast — bread
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. rash — a series
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. rock — a stone
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. roll — a list
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. craft — boats
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. rash — hasty

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