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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: content · suit · mouse · saw · wave · race · pitch · pit

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. content — happy
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. race — a contest
  5. pit — in a race
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pitch — completely
  9. race — humankind
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. saw — the tool
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. suit — clothes
  18. race — the arms race
  19. pit — a hole
  20. content — the amount
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. suit — in cards
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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