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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: game · firm · capital · pitcher · patient · staff · deal · kick

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. deal — to handle
  5. capital — a city
  6. game — wild animals
  7. firm — decided
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. game — a match
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. staff — employees
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. staff — a stick
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. capital — money
  19. staff — employees
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. firm — a company
  24. firm — steady

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