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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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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: court · pop · charge · pitch · row · wave · bay · calf

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. pop — music
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. row — a line
  8. charge — electricity
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. pitch — completely
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. charge — in control
  14. court — of law
  15. pop — soda
  16. charge — a price
  17. pop — to visit
  18. court — of a king
  19. row — to paddle
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. court — for sport
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. calf — of the leg

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