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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: staff · patient · wax · craft · stand · chair · mouse · sharp

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. chair — a leader
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. stand — to bear
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. sharp — clever
  14. craft — a skill
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. wax — to grow
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. craft — boats
  20. staff — a stick
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. staff — employees
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. staff — employees

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