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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: spell · rock · saw · pitch · firm · patient · wake · last

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. wake — a trail
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. saw — the tool
  9. last — finally
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. rock — a stone
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — a company
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. last — final
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. spell — letters
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — magic
  22. firm — steady
  23. last — to go on
  24. rock — music

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