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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: fine · pitch · club · patient · rash · fall · tube · root

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. root — of a word
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. club — for golf
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. club — for dancing
  7. fall — to drop
  8. rash — a series
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fall — to drop
  11. root — of a plant
  12. fall — the season
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. tube — a container
  17. root — the cause
  18. pitch — completely
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. fine — all right
  21. rash — hasty
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. tube — the underground
  24. fine — a penalty

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