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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: wave · bank · shower · pitch · racket · mug · band · hide

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  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. racket — for tennis
  2. mug — a cup
  3. bank — for money
  4. band — a music group
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. mug — to rob
  10. shower — to wash
  11. shower — rain
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. band — a ring
  15. pitch — completely
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. bank — of a river
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. mug — a face
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bank — for money
  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