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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: craft · date · wave · degree · game · cue · pitch · season

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. game — wild animals
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. craft — boats
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. degree — an amount
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. season — of the year
  9. game — a match
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. cue — a signal
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. date — the fruit
  16. season — in sport
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. craft — a skill
  19. cue — a hint
  20. degree — from a university
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. cue — for pool
  23. degree — temperature
  24. wave — of the sea

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