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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.

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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pit — in a race
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. pitch — completely
  8. land — ground
  9. land — a country
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. land — to come down
  14. mark — a trace
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. deal — to handle
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. mark — a grade
  22. pop — soda
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. bowl — a dish

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