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

Word bank: pit · patient · present · race · ground · mate

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. present — the time now
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. race — the arms race
  5. mate — to breed
  6. present — a gift
  7. mate — a friend
  8. pit — a hole
  9. race — a contest
  10. present — there
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. race — humankind
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. mate — a partner
  16. ground — a position
  17. ground — the earth
  18. ground — crushed

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