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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.

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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 · ruler · patient · drill · last · firm

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. pitch — completely
  3. drill — the tool
  4. firm — decided
  5. last — finally
  6. last — to go on
  7. firm — steady
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. drill — army training
  10. last — final
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. firm — a company
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. ruler — for measuring

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