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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: wake · pitch · court · patient · cell · bowl · suit · bulb

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. court — of a king
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. wake — a trail
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. cell — in biology
  17. court — for sport
  18. suit — to fit
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. court — of law
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. cell — a phone
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — for light

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