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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: lean · craft · nail · patient · snap · rock · track · march

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. lean — to bend
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. march — the month
  11. snap — to click
  12. track — a path
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. track — a song
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rock — a stone
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. track — to keep track
  19. craft — a skill
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. craft — boats
  22. march — the month
  23. lean — thin
  24. rock — music

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