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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 120 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: pitcher · stand · season · bat · bay · fine · wave · can

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — to bear
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. bat — the animal
  12. season — in sport
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. season — of the year
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. can — a tin
  20. fine — high quality
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. fine — all right
  24. season — to add flavour

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