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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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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: suit · shower · court · chip · patient · pitcher · stick · pit

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. chip — for betting
  9. court — of law
  10. pit — in a race
  11. shower — rain
  12. suit — to fit
  13. pit — a hole
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. court — of a king
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. shower — to wash
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. suit — in cards
  20. chip — to eat
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. suit — clothes
  24. court — for sport

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