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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: pop · face · track · racket · bowl · pitch · march · wave

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. march — the month
  3. pop — soda
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. face — to confront
  7. track — to keep track
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. pop — music
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. face — to point toward
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. march — music
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. march — the month
  20. track — a song
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. track — a path
  23. face — part of the head
  24. pop — to visit

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