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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · nail · pitch · game · patient · deal · ruler · calf

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. track — a path
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. track — a song
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. game — wild animals
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. pitch — completely
  21. track — to keep track
  22. deal — to handle
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. patient — a sick person

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