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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: pitch · current · bay · wake · land · foot · ball · leaves

  1. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. current — of water
  2. ball — a dance
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. pitch — completely
  9. current — electric
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. land — to come down
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. land — a country
  17. land — ground
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. foot — a measure
  21. wake — a trail
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. current — happening now

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