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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: pitch · cell · wind · wave · patient · suit

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. cell — in biology
  6. suit — to fit
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. suit — in cards
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. pitch — completely
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. cell — a phone
  17. suit — clothes
  18. wind — moving air

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