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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: club · patient · bore · pit · pitch · can · game · rush

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. can — a tin
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. game — wild animals
  6. pit — a hole
  7. can — a tin
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — a group
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bore — to drill
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. bore — to tire
  19. rush — hurry
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. game — a match
  22. pitch — completely
  23. club — for dancing
  24. can — to be able to

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