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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 120 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 · squash · hand · craft · arm · patient · lie · vault

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. craft — a skill
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. hand — in cards
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. squash — the sport
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. vault — a safe
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. track — to keep track
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. lie — to recline
  19. craft — boats
  20. hand — help
  21. track — a song
  22. track — a path
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. squash — to crush

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