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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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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: mark · bay · pitcher · patient · tube · firm · straw · row

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. row — to paddle
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. firm — a company
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. row — a line
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. firm — steady
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. firm — decided
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. mark — a grade
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. tube — a container
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. tube — the underground

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