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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 120 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: wave · prune · court · pitch · ground · mouse · firm · rest

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. rest — what's left
  5. firm — decided
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. court — of law
  8. rest — a break
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ground — the earth
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — completely
  13. firm — steady
  14. court — for sport
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. court — of a king
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ground — a position
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. firm — a company
  23. prune — to trim
  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