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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.

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: stand · patient · can · pitcher · net · fine · sharp · mouse

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. sharp — clever
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. net — in sport
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. fine — high quality
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. fine — all right
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. can — a tin
  16. net — for catching
  17. net — after costs
  18. can — a tin
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. can — to be able to
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. stand — to bear

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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