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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: pit · patient · lash · rash · present · pop · pitcher · fork

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. rash — a series
  7. present — a gift
  8. pop — soda
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. present — there
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rash — hasty
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. pop — music
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. present — the time now
  21. pit — a hole
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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