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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 · firm · deal · nail · fan · wave · rest · spring

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. rest — what's left
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. spring — of water
  5. firm — decided
  6. spring — a coil
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. firm — a company
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. deal — to handle
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. firm — steady
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. rest — a break
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. pitch — completely
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. spring — the season
  24. rest — what's left

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