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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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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: club · wave · mug · leaves · land · deal · cabinet · pitch

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. mug — a cup
  4. deal — to handle
  5. land — to come down
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. land — a country
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. club — for dancing
  12. club — for golf
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pitch — completely
  15. land — ground
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. club — a group
  21. mug — to rob
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. mug — a face

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