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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: bank · net · foot · wave · lash · suit · sharp · pitch

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. suit — to fit
  7. net — after costs
  8. net — in sport
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. sharp — clever
  13. suit — in cards
  14. net — for catching
  15. foot — a measure
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bank — for money
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bank — for money
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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