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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 120 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: pitch · temple · firm · wound · rest · fork · patient · wave

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. firm — steady
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. firm — decided
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. wound — an injury
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. pitch — completely
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. rest — a break
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. fork — in a road
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. wound — an injury
  22. rest — what's left
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. firm — a company

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