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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: rest · firm · pitch · wave · deal · rash · mine · foot

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  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. rash — a series
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. foot — a measure
  6. firm — a company
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. mine — for digging
  12. deal — to handle
  13. pitch — completely
  14. firm — decided
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. rash — hasty
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rest — a break
  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