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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.

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: pitch · leaves · nail · current · band · squash · racket · wave

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. squash — to crush
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. current — of water
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. band — a music group
  8. current — electric
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. squash — the sport
  16. band — a ring
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. current — happening now
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. pitch — completely
  24. band — a rubber band

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