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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.

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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
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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: craft · rash · bulb · lean · arm · sharp · pass · patient

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pass — a permit
  4. lean — to bend
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. rash — hasty
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. rash — a series
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — a skill
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. craft — boats
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bulb — for light
  22. sharp — clever
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. bulb — of a plant

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