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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: pitch · ball · fork · patient · file · pop · bore · bass

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. file — a document
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. bore — to drill
  9. pop — to visit
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. bass — the fish
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. ball — a dance
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. pop — music
  18. file — a line of people
  19. bass — low music
  20. pitch — completely
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. file — a tool
  24. bore — to tire

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