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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: degree · mark · fork · pitch · bay · fall · patient · pit

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pit — a hole
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. degree — temperature
  5. degree — from a university
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — the season
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. degree — an amount
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. fall — to drop
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. fork — in a road
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a grade
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pit — in a race
  24. fork — a garden tool

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