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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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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: temple · pitch · pop · wave · swing · stand · pit · row

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. stand — to bear
  5. pop — to visit
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. pop — music
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. pop — soda
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — in golf
  15. row — to paddle
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pit — in a race
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. pit — a hole
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. row — a line
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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