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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: chest · wave · ground · pitch · lash · firm · rock · staff

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. chest — of your body
  4. ground — a position
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. firm — decided
  7. rock — music
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. firm — a company
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. staff — a stick
  14. ground — the earth
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. staff — employees
  17. firm — steady
  18. rock — a stone
  19. pitch — completely
  20. ground — crushed
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. staff — employees
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. wave — of the sea

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