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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: pitcher · content · bay · leaves · rock · fine · patient · drill

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. drill — army training
  4. rock — music
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. content — the amount
  7. rock — a stone
  8. fine — high quality
  9. content — happy
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. drill — a practice
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. drill — the tool
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. fine — all right
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. content — videos and posts

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