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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.

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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. tube — a container
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pit — in a race
  10. fork — in a road
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. lean — thin
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. tube — the underground
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. lean — to bend
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. pitch — completely

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