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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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. object — to protest
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. row — to paddle
  13. object — a thing
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. cue — a signal
  16. can — a tin
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. object — an aim
  19. row — a line
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. cue — for pool
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. cue — a hint
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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