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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 · racket · rush · wound · jam · roll · cabinet · patient

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — hurry
  3. roll — a cake
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. pitch — completely
  7. roll — a list
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. wound — an injury

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