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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: chip · pitcher · patient · fine · rush · pitch

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — for betting
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. fine — high quality
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. rush — hurry
  15. pitch — completely
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. fine — all right

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