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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: pitch · row · spell · wave · pop · patient · mouse · bear

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. pop — soda
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bear — the animal
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — a short time
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. pop — to visit
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. pop — music
  19. spell — magic
  20. pitch — completely
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. row — a line
  23. row — to paddle
  24. wave — of the sea

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