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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: can · land · mark · shower · board · pitch · wave · toast

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. can — to be able to
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. shower — to wash
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. can — a tin
  9. shower — rain
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pitch — completely
  12. can — a tin
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. toast — bread
  17. board — a committee
  18. mark — a grade
  19. land — ground
  20. board — to get on
  21. land — a country
  22. land — to come down
  23. mark — a trace
  24. pitch — a sports field

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