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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: pitch · degree · patient · hand · track · rest · object · charge

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. degree — an amount
  3. pitch — completely
  4. degree — temperature
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. track — a path
  8. rest — a break
  9. track — a song
  10. charge — in control
  11. degree — from a university
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. hand — help
  14. track — to keep track
  15. hand — in cards
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — a thing
  19. rest — what's left
  20. charge — a price
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. charge — electricity
  23. object — to protest
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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