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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.

Make a worksheet

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: sharp · season · patient · stick · pitch · mug · pop · cell

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pop — soda
  3. pop — to visit
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. cell — in biology
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. mug — to rob
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. mug — a face
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. mug — a cup
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pop — music
  18. sharp — clever
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. cell — a phone
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — of the year

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