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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: cap · leaves · last · pitcher · saw · pitch · patient · stand

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. stand — to bear
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. last — to go on
  12. saw — the tool
  13. cap — a lid
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pitch — completely
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. cap — of ice
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. last — finally
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. last — final
  22. cap — a hat
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. saw — the tool

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