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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: cue · wake · wave · craft · bank · date · pitch · fork

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bank — for money
  5. cue — for pool
  6. craft — a skill
  7. wake — a trail
  8. date — the fruit
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. fork — in a road
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. pitch — completely
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bank — of a river
  21. cue — a hint
  22. craft — boats
  23. bank — for money
  24. cue — a signal

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