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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.

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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: rash · firm · pop · chair · dip · fan · pitch · wave

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. pop — to visit
  3. chair — a leader
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — a company
  6. pop — soda
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. rash — a series
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. dip — to sink
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pop — music
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. firm — decided
  22. pitch — completely
  23. rash — hasty
  24. chair — a professorship

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