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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 116 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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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 · mouse · bank · pitch · pound · mark · fine · cue

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. cue — a hint
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bank — for money
  9. mark — a trace
  10. cue — a signal
  11. pound — a weight
  12. bank — for money
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a grade
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. fine — all right
  20. cue — for pool
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — completely
  24. wave — with your hand

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