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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
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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: present · ball · foot · hand · mouse · pitch · patient · mine

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pitch — completely
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. foot — a measure
  7. ball — a great time
  8. mine — for digging
  9. present — a gift
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. hand — in cards
  16. ball — a dance
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. hand — help
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. present — the time now
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. present — there
  24. mine — belonging to me

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