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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 120 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: stick · dip · wave · race · fan · lean · pitch · perch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. perch — the fish
  12. race — humankind
  13. lean — thin
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. lean — to bend
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. race — a contest
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. race — the arms race
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. dip — to sink

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