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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
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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: mug · pitcher · tear · stock · nail · patient · sharp · spell

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. spell — letters
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. tear — from crying
  6. sharp — clever
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. spell — magic
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mug — to rob
  13. stock — goods
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. mug — a cup
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. mug — a face
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. tear — from crying
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. stock — shares
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. spell — a short time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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