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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. bore — to drill
  7. fall — the season
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. fall — to drop
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. row — a line
  15. fall — to drop
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. row — to paddle
  18. racket — for tennis

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