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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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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: spring · patient · deal · ruler · pop · stick · pitch · club

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pop — to visit
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. pop — music
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. spring — of water
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. spring — the season
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. spring — a coil
  15. pop — soda
  16. club — a group
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitch — completely
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. club — for golf
  22. deal — to handle
  23. club — for dancing
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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