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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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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: rash · pit · pitch · shower · cue · rest · patient · row

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. shower — to wash
  4. pit — in a race
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. rash — a series
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pitch — completely
  9. cue — a signal
  10. rash — hasty
  11. shower — rain
  12. row — to paddle
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. rest — a break
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pit — a hole
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cue — a hint
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. row — a line
  21. cue — for pool
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. row — a quarrel

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