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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: board · rest · wave · stand · pitch · patient · lash · tube

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. rest — what's left
  3. tube — the underground
  4. rest — a break
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. stand — to bear
  10. board — to get on
  11. tube — a container
  12. rest — what's left
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. board — a committee
  15. pitch — completely
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. lash — an eyelash

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