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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.

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: spell · pitch · current · bore · cell · chair · patient · wave

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. cell — in biology
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. current — happening now
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. chair — a leader
  9. pitch — completely
  10. cell — a phone
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. spell — a short time
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bore — to tire
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. current — of water
  18. spell — letters
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. spell — magic
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. bore — to drill
  24. current — electric

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