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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: rash · rule · wave · lie · hand · pitch · leaves · wound

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. rule — government
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. lie — to recline
  6. rash — a series
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wound — an injury
  12. hand — help
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. wound — an injury
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. hand — in cards
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. rash — hasty
  24. leaves — of a tree

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