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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 116 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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. drill — the tool
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. present — the time now
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bank — for money
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. pass — a permit
  11. present — a gift
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bank — for money
  16. present — there
  17. drill — army training
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bark — to shout
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. drill — a practice

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