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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.

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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: scale · craft · ground · deal · rock · press · patient · sharp

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ground — the earth
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. craft — a skill
  7. press — to push
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. press — newspapers
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. scale — in music
  12. craft — boats
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. sharp — clever
  19. rock — a stone
  20. ground — a position
  21. rock — music
  22. press — a publisher
  23. deal — to handle
  24. scale — size or range

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