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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
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: season · rock · wave · net · race · pitch · roll · bowl

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. season — in sport
  3. roll — a cake
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. race — humankind
  6. roll — a list
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. net — after costs
  9. race — the arms race
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. net — for catching
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — completely
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. rock — a stone
  20. rock — music
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. net — in sport
  24. season — of the year

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