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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: pitch · mouse · wave · last · stand · bear · season · pop

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pop — soda
  4. pop — to visit
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. last — finally
  7. bear — the animal
  8. last — final
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. last — to go on
  12. season — of the year
  13. pitch — completely
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — in sport
  21. stand — to bear
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. mouse — the animal

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