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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 120 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: bound · mine · hide · game · pitch · ball · current · patient

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. ball — a dance
  4. game — wild animals
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. current — electric
  11. current — happening now
  12. bound — certain
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bound — obliged
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. bound — tied together
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. pitch — completely
  22. current — of water
  23. ball — a great time
  24. mine — for digging

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