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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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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: pass · stick · patient · calf · hide · pitch · pound · coach

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  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. coach — pulled by horses
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. pound — a weight
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pass — a permit
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. pitch — a sports field
  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