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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 · lie · fine · game · court · patient · trunk · rock

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. fine — high quality
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pitch — completely
  7. court — for sport
  8. game — wild animals
  9. rock — music
  10. lie — to recline
  11. court — of law
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. court — of a king
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. rock — a stone
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. fine — all right
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. game — a match
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. pitch — a sports field

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