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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 120 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: arm · rush · fork · patient · pitch · deal · squash · board

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. squash — to crush
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. deal — to handle
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. board — to get on
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. pitch — completely
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. board — a committee
  23. rush — hurry
  24. squash — the sport

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