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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitch — completely
  3. lean — to bend
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. lean — thin
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. net — for catching
  11. net — in sport
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. net — after costs
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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