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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: craft · kick · straw · patient · cue · ball · foot · current

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. cue — a hint
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. current — happening now
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. craft — a skill
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. ball — a dance
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. current — electric
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. cue — for pool
  17. foot — a measure
  18. current — of water
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. cue — a signal
  21. kick — in football
  22. craft — boats
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. patient — a sick person

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