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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: tear · patient · bowl · rash · safe · pitch · file · bore

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. file — a line of people
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. pitch — completely
  7. tear — to rip
  8. file — a tool
  9. tear — from crying
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. file — a document
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bore — to drill
  14. tear — from crying
  15. rash — hasty
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bore — to tire
  18. rash — a series
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. safe — out of danger

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