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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.

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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: patient · club · pitch · racket · rest · board · pass · mine

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rest — what's left
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pitch — completely
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. club — for dancing
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. club — a group
  18. board — a committee
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. club — for golf
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. board — to get on

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