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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 116 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: bulb · patient · coach · spring · can · pit · present · pitch

  1. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. bulb — for light
  4. spring — a coil
  5. present — a gift
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bulb — for light
  8. present — the time now
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. can — a tin
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. pit — a hole
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. present — there
  17. can — to be able to
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. can — a tin
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pitch — completely
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — the season
  24. pit — in a race

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