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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: pitch · rest · wave · stem · bulb · rush · race · roll

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pitch — completely
  5. roll — a list
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. rest — a break
  9. race — humankind
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — hurry
  13. race — a contest
  14. stem — to come from
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. rest — what's left
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. rest — what's left
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. race — the arms race

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