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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: stand · drill · field · cue · pitch · patient · calf · rock

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. field — a subject
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. cue — a signal
  5. pitch — completely
  6. stand — to bear
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. drill — a practice
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. drill — the tool
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. field — farmland
  13. cue — a hint
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. cue — for pool
  16. rock — music
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. field — for sport
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. calf — a young animal

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