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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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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: rush · mouse · bore · club · rock · wave · pitch · ruler

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. club — for golf
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. club — a group
  7. rock — music
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rush — hurry
  10. pitch — completely
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. club — for dancing
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bore — to drill
  20. rock — a stone
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. rock — to move gently

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