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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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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: mark · pitch · rush · spell · suit · tear · wake · wave

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. tear — from crying
  3. suit — in cards
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. wake — a trail
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. suit — clothes
  9. spell — magic
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. rush — hurry
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. suit — to fit
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. mark — a grade
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. spell — a short time
  21. tear — to rip
  22. pitch — completely
  23. spell — letters
  24. tear — from crying

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