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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: ruler · pitch · tube · chest · hand · wave · board · track

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. board — to get on
  5. pitch — completely
  6. tube — the underground
  7. track — a path
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. chest — of your body
  10. tube — a container
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. chest — a box
  14. hand — help
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. track — a song
  19. hand — in cards
  20. track — to keep track
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. chest — of your body
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. board — a committee

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