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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: bulb · pitch · track · rest · chair · wave · calf · fork

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. rest — what's left
  9. track — a song
  10. fork — in a road
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bulb — for light
  13. track — to keep track
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. track — a path
  16. bulb — for light
  17. chair — a leader
  18. pitch — completely
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. rest — a break
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. rest — what's left
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. chair — to sit on

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