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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 · suit · fall · wave · bank · rule

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. suit — in cards
  4. fall — to drop
  5. rule — government
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. suit — clothes
  8. fall — the season
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bank — of a river
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rule — a law
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. suit — to fit
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. pitch — completely
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bank — for money

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