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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 · pitcher · shower · chair · stand · pitch · pit · race

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. race — a contest
  4. race — the arms race
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pit — a hole
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. shower — to wash
  12. stand — to bear
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. chair — a leader
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. shower — rain

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