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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: wave · calf · rush · pitch · rash · lean · track · stock

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. rash — hasty
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. pitch — completely
  7. lean — to bend
  8. track — to keep track
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. lean — thin
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. rush — hurry
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. track — a path
  16. stock — goods
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. stock — shares
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. rash — a series

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