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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: pitch · pop · rule · present · toast · patient

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pop — music
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. present — the time now
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. toast — bread
  9. present — a gift
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. rule — government
  12. present — there
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pop — soda
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pop — to visit
  18. toast — a drink to someone

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