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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 120 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: ball · wave · pass · tube · pitcher · pitch · mate · bay

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. ball — a great time
  6. mate — a friend
  7. tube — the underground
  8. mate — a partner
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. ball — a dance
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. tube — a container
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. mate — to breed
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. pitch — a sports field

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