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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 · pitcher · bank · bay · saw · mark · object · patient

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. object — to protest
  3. bank — of a river
  4. object — an aim
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — a practice
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. drill — army training
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. mark — a trace
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. object — a thing
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. mark — a grade
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. mark — to pay attention

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