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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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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: track · pitch · kick · hand · toast · wave · rest · lie

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rest — a break
  5. toast — bread
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. rest — what's left
  8. kick — in football
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. pitch — completely
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. hand — help
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. lie — to recline
  20. rest — what's left
  21. track — a path
  22. track — a song
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. track — to keep track

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