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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: foot · wave · kid · pound · toast · rest · mouse · pitch

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. rest — what's left
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. foot — a measure
  10. kid — child
  11. rest — what's left
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. rest — a break
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. kid — to tease
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. toast — bread
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pound — a weight

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