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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: pitch · patient · bowl · fan · tube · track · fine · suit

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. track — a path
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. track — a song
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. suit — to fit
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. pitch — completely
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. tube — a container
  20. fine — high quality
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. track — to keep track
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. fine — all right

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