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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: leaves · rash · patient · bore · row · coach · pitch · hide

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bore — to tire
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bore — to drill
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. row — a line
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. rash — hasty
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. row — to paddle
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. rash — a series
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. leaves — to go away

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