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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. rest — what's left
  4. cell — a phone
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. suit — to fit
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wind — moving air
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. rest — a break
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. rest — what's left
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. suit — in cards
  16. pitch — completely
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. cell — in biology
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. wind — moving air
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. wave — of the sea

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