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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: swing · pitcher · pitch · mate · wind · wave · patient · kick

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. wind — moving air
  3. mate — a partner
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. pitch — completely
  11. kick — in football
  12. swing — music
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. mate — to breed
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. wind — moving air
  21. mate — a friend
  22. swing — in golf
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. swing — to play on

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