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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: suit · pitch · safe · lash · track · patient · fan · chip

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. chip — to eat
  3. track — to keep track
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. track — a song
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. suit — clothes
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. pitch — completely
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. track — a path
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — for betting
  24. suit — in cards

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