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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: ruler · wave · pitch · object · march · wind · lean · pit

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. object — an aim
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. lean — to bend
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. march — the month
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. wind — moving air
  13. march — music
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — a thing
  16. wind — moving air
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pit — in a race
  21. march — the month
  22. pit — a hole
  23. lean — thin
  24. ruler — for measuring

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