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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: ball · ground · cell · pitch · rest · nail · wave · staff

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. ball — a dance
  4. cell — in biology
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. cell — a phone
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. ball — a great time
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. rest — a break
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. rest — what's left
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. ground — crushed
  18. staff — a stick
  19. ground — the earth
  20. staff — employees
  21. pitch — completely
  22. rest — what's left
  23. staff — employees
  24. ground — a position

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