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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: wave · pitcher · dip · bowl · patient · date · kid · stand

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. dip — to sink
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — to bear
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. kid — to tease
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. date — the fruit
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. kid — child
  24. pitcher — a jug

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