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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: bat · toast · lie · deal · patient · pitch · rush · rest

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. deal — to handle
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. rest — what's left
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bat — the animal
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. pitch — completely
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. rush — hurry
  19. toast — bread
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. rest — what's left
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. rest — a break

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