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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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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: jam · bat · stand · fork · cabinet · pitch · patient · pass

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. pass — a permit
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. bat — the animal
  12. stand — to bear
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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