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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.

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: patient · fork · shower · cue · pitch · pop · mug · bark

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. shower — rain
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. cue — a hint
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. mug — to rob
  8. shower — to wash
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cue — for pool
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. mug — a cup
  14. bark — to shout
  15. mug — a face
  16. pop — music
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. pop — to visit
  19. fork — in a road
  20. pop — soda
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bark — of a tree

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