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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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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: stand · straw · charge · patient · pit · pound · toast · pitch

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. charge — in control
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. toast — bread
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. charge — electricity
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. charge — a price
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pit — a hole
  21. stand — to bear
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. pit — in a race
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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