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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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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: patient · firm · wave · pass · suit · race · cell · face

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. firm — a company
  3. race — a contest
  4. cell — a phone
  5. firm — decided
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. face — part of the head
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. suit — to fit
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. race — the arms race
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. face — to confront
  18. race — humankind
  19. firm — steady
  20. face — to point toward
  21. pass — a permit
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. cell — in biology

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