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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: bear · firm · wind · pound · saw · patient · pitch · hide

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. firm — a company
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pitch — completely
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. firm — steady
  18. pound — a weight
  19. saw — the tool
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. wind — moving air
  23. firm — decided
  24. bear — the animal

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