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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: pitch · patient · fork · row · jam · ball · current · nail

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. row — to paddle
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. row — a line
  9. current — electric
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. pitch — completely
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. current — happening now
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. current — of water
  20. fork — in a road
  21. ball — a dance
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. patient — a sick person

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