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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
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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 · ball · pitch · rest · key · chair · lean

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. rest — what's left
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — in music
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. key — for a lock
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. lean — thin
  16. chair — a leader
  17. rest — a break
  18. ball — a great time
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. ball — a dance
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. rest — what's left
  24. lean — to bend

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