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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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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: sharp · pitch · pit · rush · rule · leaves · wave · fall

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pit — in a race
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. rule — government
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — a law
  11. fall — the season
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. pit — a hole
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. sharp — clever
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — to drop

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