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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: pitch · patient · date · foot · ground · club · rule · rash

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. rash — hasty
  5. date — the fruit
  6. club — a group
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. rule — a law
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. club — for dancing
  12. ground — the earth
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. club — for golf
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. foot — a measure
  18. rash — a series
  19. rule — government
  20. ground — crushed
  21. ground — a position
  22. pitch — completely
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. foot — part of the body

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