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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: patient · key · pitch · pit · mug · pound · degree · leaves

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — to rob
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. key — in music
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. key — for a lock
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. pit — a hole
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. degree — an amount
  18. degree — temperature
  19. pit — in a race
  20. mug — a face
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. degree — from a university
  23. pitch — completely
  24. key — the most important part

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