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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: court · mouse · patient · pitch · stick · current · game · coach

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. pitch — completely
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. game — a match
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. current — electric
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. game — wild animals
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. current — of water
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. court — for sport
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. current — happening now
  19. court — of a king
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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