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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: leaves · bowl · pitch · cold · charge · suit · foot · wave

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. charge — electricity
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. foot — a measure
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. pitch — completely
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. cold — an illness
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. suit — in cards
  18. cold — not warm
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. charge — a price
  21. suit — to fit
  22. charge — in control
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. wave — with your hand

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