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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: pit · patient · plane · bat · coach · bound · wave · pitch

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  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. plane — a tool
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bat — the animal
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — in a race
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. bound — certain
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitch — completely
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — tied together
  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