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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: firm · suit · wave · foot · patient · season · wind · stem

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. firm — decided
  3. wind — moving air
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. foot — a measure
  6. wind — moving air
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. suit — clothes
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. suit — to fit
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. stem — to come from
  14. season — in sport
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. firm — a company
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. season — of the year
  22. suit — in cards
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. firm — steady

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