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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: craft · pitcher · bulb · current · pitch · patient · stand · lash

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. bulb — for light
  5. current — of water
  6. stand — to bear
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. current — happening now
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. current — electric
  13. craft — boats
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. craft — a skill
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. bulb — for light
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. lash — to lash out

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