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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 116 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
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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: pitch · patient · land · bay · pit · mug · bark · bound

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  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. bay — a horse colour
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. bound — obliged
  8. mug — a face
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. pit — in a race
  11. land — ground
  12. mug — to rob
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bound — certain
  17. bound — tied together
  18. land — to come down
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. mug — a cup
  21. land — a country
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. patient — a sick person
  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