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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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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 · temple · fork · pitch · net · deal · perch · lash

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. net — in sport
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. net — after costs
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. net — for catching
  15. pitch — completely
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. fork — in a road
  23. perch — the fish
  24. temple — side of the head

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