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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: object · patient · craft · ruler · branch · sharp · capital · pitch

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. object — an aim
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. object — a thing
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. capital — money
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. branch — a division
  17. pitch — completely
  18. craft — a skill
  19. sharp — clever
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. capital — a city
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. object — to protest
  24. branch — of a bank

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