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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: cabinet · wave · pitch · prune · leaves · spring · bound · mark

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. spring — of water
  4. bound — obliged
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. bound — tied together
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. spring — a coil
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. mark — a trace
  18. prune — to trim
  19. spring — the season
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. bound — certain
  22. pitch — completely
  23. mark — a grade
  24. prune — to trim

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