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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: fall · bowl · pitcher · mug · patient · rock · press · pitch

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. mug — to rob
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. press — newspapers
  11. rock — music
  12. mug — a face
  13. press — to push
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. fall — to drop
  16. press — a publisher
  17. mug — a cup
  18. rock — a stone
  19. pitch — completely
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. fall — the season
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. fall — to drop
  24. patient — a sick person

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