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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 120 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
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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: patient · pitcher · cabinet · cap · rash · fan · row · bay

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. row — a line
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. cap — of ice
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. row — to paddle
  23. rash — hasty
  24. cap — a lid

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