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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: wave · racket · mug · present · pop · track · pitcher · rush

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. rush — hurry
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. present — the time now
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — to rob
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. present — there
  11. present — a gift
  12. pop — to visit
  13. mug — a face
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. pop — music
  17. track — a song
  18. track — to keep track
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. pop — soda
  22. track — a path
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. rush — to hurry

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