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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 116 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: hide · pitch · wave · squash · suit · pass · row · straw

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. row — to paddle
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. squash — to crush
  8. suit — clothes
  9. squash — the sport
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. pass — a permit
  13. suit — to fit
  14. row — a line
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. suit — in cards
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — completely
  24. hide — animal skin

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