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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.

Make a worksheet

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: rock · wave · fine · plane · cabinet · mouse · pitch · coach

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. fine — high quality
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. rock — music
  9. fine — all right
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. rock — a stone
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. pitch — completely
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. plane — a tool
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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