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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.

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: bark · pitcher · club · lash · cap · patient · pitch · spell

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. cap — a hat
  7. club — for dancing
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. club — for golf
  10. pitch — completely
  11. spell — letters
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bark — to shout
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. spell — a short time
  20. cap — of ice
  21. club — a group
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. spell — magic

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