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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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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: last · deal · firm · nail · pitch · bay · wave · row

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. deal — to handle
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — decided
  6. last — finally
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. last — final
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. row — to paddle
  18. last — to go on
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. row — a line
  24. firm — a company

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