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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 farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. staff — employees
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. cue — for pool
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. stock — shares
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. staff — employees
  18. stock — goods
  19. cue — a hint
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. staff — a stick
  23. cue — a signal
  24. hide — to keep secret

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