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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: pitch · roll · dip · deal · lean · wave · present · pop

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. lean — thin
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. pop — music
  9. pop — to visit
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. dip — to sink
  12. roll — a list
  13. pop — soda
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pitch — completely
  16. deal — to handle
  17. roll — a cake
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. present — the time now
  20. lean — to bend
  21. present — a gift
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. present — there
  24. roll — on a roll

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