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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: pitch · nail · press · patient · bear · pit · court · fall

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. court — of law
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. fall — to drop
  8. press — a publisher
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. press — newspapers
  15. pitch — completely
  16. court — of a king
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. fall — the season
  20. press — to push
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a hole
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. court — for 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