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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 · dip · rash · craft · branch · hide · bulb · racket

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. rash — a series
  6. branch — a division
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bulb — for light
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. bulb — for light
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. rash — hasty
  24. craft — boats

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