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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. date — the fruit
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. stand — to bear
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. bark — to shout
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. pitch — completely
  17. kid — to tease
  18. rush — hurry
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. kid — child
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. pitch — a sports field

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