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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: trunk · patient · foot · land · scale · fan · wave · craft

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. land — to come down
  3. scale — in music
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. land — a country
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. scale — size or range
  15. land — ground
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. foot — a measure
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. craft — a skill
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — boats
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. foot — the bottom

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