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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: pitch · last · bay · bound · rest · patient · suit · rash

  1. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — a sick person
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. last — final
  7. rest — a break
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. last — to go on
  11. rash — a series
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. bound — certain
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. last — finally
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. rest — what's left
  18. suit — clothes
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pitch — completely
  21. rash — hasty
  22. bound — tied together
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bound — obliged

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