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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.

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: patient · race · face · key · pitcher · mate · game · pitch

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. key — in music
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. game — wild animals
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. face — to point toward
  8. race — humankind
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. race — a contest
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. mate — to breed
  13. race — the arms race
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. mate — a partner
  16. face — part of the head
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. key — for a lock
  20. face — to confront
  21. key — the most important part
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. pitch — completely
  24. mate — a friend

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