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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: nail · fall · wave · rush · arm · racket · pitch · calf

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. fall — to drop
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. fall — the season
  6. rush — hurry
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. fall — to drop
  12. pitch — completely
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. rush — to hurry

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