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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: pitcher · march · wake · prune · pass · pitch · wave · patient

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. march — music
  7. pitch — completely
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. prune — to trim
  14. march — the month
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. wake — a trail
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. march — the month

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