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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 120 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: nail · cabinet · craft · bay · root · pitcher · patient · bank

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bank — of a river
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. root — the cause
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. root — of a plant
  13. root — of a word
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bank — for money
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bank — for money
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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