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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: wave · leaves · fork · mouse · bass · pitch · present · chair

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  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. wave — a sudden rise
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. present — the time now
  4. bass — the fish
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bass — low music
  9. chair — a leader
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — there
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. fork — in a road
  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