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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: kick · date · wave · game · bass · bore · spell · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. spell — magic
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. game — wild animals
  5. kick — in football
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. bass — low music
  9. spell — a short time
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. date — the fruit
  12. bore — to tire
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bass — the fish
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bore — to drill
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. game — a match
  24. spell — letters

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