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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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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 · craft · saw · pitch · toast · racket · lean · prune

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. pitch — completely
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. toast — bread
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. prune — to trim
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. saw — the tool
  18. lean — thin
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. craft — boats
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. prune — to trim

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