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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
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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: pitcher · bear · wave · date · track · nail · patient · pitch

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. track — a path
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bear — the animal
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. date — the fruit
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. pitch — completely
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. track — to keep track
  24. track — a song

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