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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fine · pitch · wave · spell · pound · plane · staff · hide

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. fine — high quality
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. spell — letters
  6. staff — employees
  7. pound — a weight
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. pitch — completely
  11. spell — magic
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. plane — a tool
  17. staff — a stick
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. spell — a short time
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. staff — employees
  23. fine — all right
  24. plane — in geometry

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