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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: dip · pitch · season · hide · patient · tear · calf · pass

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — to rip
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. season — of the year
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pitch — completely
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. tear — from crying
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. dip — to sink
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. season — in sport
  24. patient — a sick person

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