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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 116 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: lean · pound · firm · ground · fall · patient · rush · wave

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. firm — steady
  4. fall — to drop
  5. ground — a position
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. fall — to drop
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. lean — to bend
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. pound — a weight
  12. ground — crushed
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. fall — the season
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. ground — the earth
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. lean — thin
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. firm — decided
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. firm — a company
  24. rush — hurry

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