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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: suit · patient · firm · rash · mug · bay · pitch · net

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. mug — to rob
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — to fit
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. rash — a series
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. firm — steady
  11. net — in sport
  12. firm — a company
  13. suit — in cards
  14. net — for catching
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. firm — decided
  19. pitch — completely
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. mug — a face
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. mug — a cup
  24. net — after costs

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