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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 120 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: nail · present · foot · pitch · stand · wave · rock · saw

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. pitch — completely
  5. rock — a stone
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. stand — to bear
  11. present — a gift
  12. saw — the tool
  13. rock — music
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. saw — the tool
  17. foot — a measure
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. present — the time now
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. present — there
  24. wave — with your hand

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