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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: pop · racket · pit · cell · object · patient

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pop — to visit
  8. cell — in biology
  9. object — an aim
  10. pop — soda
  11. pit — in a race
  12. object — a thing
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — a hole
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. cell — a phone
  18. object — to protest

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