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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: wave · pitcher · fall · swing · ground · land · bowl · foot

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. land — ground
  5. swing — in golf
  6. ground — the earth
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. land — to come down
  10. fall — to drop
  11. swing — music
  12. land — a country
  13. foot — a measure
  14. ground — a position
  15. swing — to play on
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. fall — to drop
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. ground — crushed

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