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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
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: patient · staff · object · sharp · racket · calf · craft · trunk

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. object — a thing
  3. sharp — clever
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. craft — a skill
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. object — to protest
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. object — an aim
  15. staff — a stick
  16. craft — boats
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. staff — employees
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. staff — employees
  24. calf — a young animal

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