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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fork · pitch · mug · patient · stock · nail · wave · saw

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. mug — a cup
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. fork — in a road
  7. saw — the tool
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. saw — the tool
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. stock — shares
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. mug — a face
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. stock — goods
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. mug — to rob
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. patient — a sick person

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