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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wind · bulb · ground · court · wave · rush · safe · pitch

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rush — hurry
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. ground — the earth
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pitch — completely
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. ground — a position
  18. ground — crushed
  19. court — of law
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bulb — for light
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. court — for sport
  24. court — of a king

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