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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: rash · rest · pitch · cap · wave · ruler

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. rash — a series
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — hasty
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. cap — a hat
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cap — a lid
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. pitch — completely
  18. rest — what's left

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