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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: patient · hide · shower · trunk · nail · foot · jam · craft

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. craft — a skill
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. foot — a measure
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. craft — boats
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. shower — to wash
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. shower — rain
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. hide — to keep secret

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