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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.

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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: hand · chip · wave · fine · patient · pass · craft · rule

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. chip — to eat
  3. rule — government
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. craft — boats
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. fine — high quality
  14. hand — in cards
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. hand — help
  17. chip — for betting
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. fine — all right
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. rule — a law
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. craft — a skill

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