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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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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: race · patient · firm · saw · kick · wave · board · season

  1. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. board — to get on
  7. race — humankind
  8. board — a committee
  9. firm — decided
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. race — a contest
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. firm — steady
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. season — in sport
  19. season — of the year
  20. firm — a company
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. kick — in football
  23. saw — the tool
  24. race — the arms race

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