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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: fork · dip · pitch · rule · pound · net · patient · staff

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. net — in sport
  3. net — for catching
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. rule — a law
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. fork — in a road
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. net — after costs
  14. pound — a weight
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. rule — government
  17. staff — a stick
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. dip — to sink
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — employees
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. pitch — completely

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