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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: dip · pitch · ball · hand · patient · stand · fine · fan

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. dip — to sink
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. fine — high quality
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. ball — a dance
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. pitch — completely
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — all right
  20. stand — to bear
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. hand — in cards
  23. hand — help
  24. dip — a sauce

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