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

Word bank: bay · patient · dip · bear · stick · capital · club · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. capital — a city
  4. bear — the animal
  5. club — for dancing
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. capital — money
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. club — a group
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. bear — the animal
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. club — for golf
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. dip — to sink
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. bay — a horse colour

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