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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 116 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: deal · pitch · sharp · patient · court · ruler · rash · bowl

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. rash — a series
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. pitch — completely
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. court — of law
  20. court — for sport
  21. deal — to handle
  22. rash — hasty
  23. sharp — clever
  24. court — of a king

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