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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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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: wind · craft · pound · wave · cabinet · present · patient · ball

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. present — the time now
  4. craft — a skill
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. wind — moving air
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. present — there
  12. present — a gift
  13. craft — boats
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. pound — a weight
  23. wind — moving air
  24. wave — of the sea

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