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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: last · fan · patient · cabinet · ball · pitch · suit · game

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. last — finally
  5. suit — in cards
  6. ball — a dance
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. last — to go on
  10. last — final
  11. ball — a great time
  12. pitch — completely
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. game — a match
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. game — wild animals
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. suit — to fit
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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