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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 · temple · pitch · wound · pitcher · ball · bay · fall

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wound — an injury
  6. pitch — completely
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. fall — to drop
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. fall — to drop
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. pitcher — a jug

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