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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 116 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: track · rest · pitch · saw · degree · pass · bore · patient

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. track — to keep track
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. bore — to drill
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. rest — what's left
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pitch — completely
  10. track — a path
  11. degree — an amount
  12. rest — what's left
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. rest — a break
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. degree — temperature
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. track — a song
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. degree — from a university
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  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