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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: lean · pop · game · pitch · land · patient · perch · board

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pop — soda
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. land — ground
  6. game — a match
  7. pop — music
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. pitch — completely
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — thin
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. game — wild animals
  18. board — a committee
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. perch — the fish
  22. land — a country
  23. land — to come down
  24. pop — to visit

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