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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. can — to be able to
  7. tube — a container
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. can — a tin
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. tube — the underground
  13. stand — to bear
  14. cue — a signal
  15. can — a tin
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. row — a line
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. pitch — completely
  20. cue — for pool
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. cue — a hint
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. patient — a sick person

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