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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
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: pitch · patient · ball · hide · tube · rush · march · chair

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. tube — a container
  3. march — the month
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. march — music
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. rush — hurry
  10. ball — a dance
  11. pitch — completely
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. tube — the underground
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. march — the month
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. ball — a great time
  23. chair — a leader
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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