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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: pitch · mug · rest · wave · degree · march · present · firm

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. firm — decided
  3. mug — a cup
  4. rest — what's left
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. mug — to rob
  7. march — music
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. degree — temperature
  10. degree — from a university
  11. firm — steady
  12. degree — an amount
  13. present — there
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. present — the time now
  17. march — the month
  18. present — a gift
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. mug — a face
  21. rest — what's left
  22. firm — a company
  23. pitch — completely
  24. march — the month

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