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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 116 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: track · game · patient · craft · mouse · sharp · kick · swing

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. craft — boats
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. swing — to play on
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. game — wild animals
  10. swing — music
  11. kick — in football
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. game — a match
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a path
  16. track — a song
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. craft — a skill
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. swing — in golf
  24. sharp — clever

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