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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 116 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: stick · patient · cabinet · mark · dip · nail · hand · bowl

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. dip — to sink
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. mark — a trace
  9. hand — help
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. hand — in cards
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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