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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: hand · ball · cabinet · rush · pitcher · patient · squash · cell

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. squash — to crush
  7. cell — a phone
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. squash — the sport
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rush — hurry
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. hand — in cards
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ball — a great time
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. hand — help
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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