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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: pitcher · craft · wound · wax · patient · cue · nail · can

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a skill
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. wound — an injury
  10. can — to be able to
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. cue — for pool
  13. can — a tin
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. can — a tin
  16. wound — an injury
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. wax — to grow
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. nail — for a hammer

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