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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  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. can — a tin
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. craft — boats
  5. spell — magic
  6. can — to be able to
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bank — for money
  12. can — a tin
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bank — for money
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — high quality
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. craft — a skill
  19. spell — letters
  20. bank — of a river
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. bat — the animal
  24. patient — a sick person

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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