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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.

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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 · can · pit · bay · deal · pitch · craft · bore

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. can — a tin
  6. bore — to drill
  7. can — to be able to
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. bore — to tire
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. craft — a skill
  15. pitch — completely
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. craft — boats
  19. pit — a hole
  20. can — a tin
  21. deal — to handle
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. patient — a sick person

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