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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: drill · row · can · fan · pitch · bay · patient · cabinet

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. can — a tin
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. row — a line
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. drill — a practice
  12. row — to paddle
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. drill — army training
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pitch — completely
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. drill — the tool

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