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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: deal · bank · wave · ball · pop · bear · pitch · degree

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. ball — a dance
  3. pitch — completely
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. degree — from a university
  6. degree — temperature
  7. ball — a great time
  8. pop — soda
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bank — for money
  12. pop — to visit
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pop — music
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bank — for money
  23. degree — an amount
  24. bear — the animal

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