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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 120 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: stick · patient · plane · can · ground · file · pitch · capital

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. plane — a tool
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. can — a tin
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. file — a line of people
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pitch — completely
  10. ground — the earth
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. file — a document
  13. capital — money
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ground — crushed
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. can — a tin
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. file — a tool
  20. capital — a city
  21. ground — a position
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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