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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 120 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: rush · racket · coach · calf · cabinet · pitch · kid · patient

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. kid — child
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. kid — to tease
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. calf — a young animal

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