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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: wind · ball · pop · pitch · suit · patient · rash · can

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. rash — hasty
  3. pop — music
  4. suit — to fit
  5. can — a tin
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. ball — a dance
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — clothes
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pitch — completely
  12. can — a tin
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. wind — moving air
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. rash — a series
  21. can — to be able to
  22. pop — to visit
  23. wind — moving air
  24. pop — soda

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