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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: rock · pop · pitcher · fall · leaves · net · mouse · wave

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. fall — the season
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — a stone
  8. net — for catching
  9. net — after costs
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. pop — music
  15. net — in sport
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — to drop
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pop — soda
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. pop — to visit
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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