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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
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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 · spell · track · pitch · rush · plane · pitcher · sharp

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. track — to keep track
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. plane — a tool
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. sharp — clever
  8. track — a song
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. spell — a short time
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — letters
  19. rush — hurry
  20. track — a path
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. pitcher — a jug

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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