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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: saw · coach · arm · pound · bank · wave · pitch · rest

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rest — a break
  5. bank — for money
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. rest — what's left
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. pound — a weight
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. pitch — completely
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. rest — what's left
  24. arm — a part of something

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