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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. mug — to rob
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. can — to be able to
  12. fork — in a road
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. can — a tin
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. can — a tin
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. row — to paddle
  22. mug — a face
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. mug — a cup

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