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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: pass · pitch · coach · kid · wave · cap · fan · bear

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cap — of ice
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bear — the animal
  9. pass — a permit
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. cap — a lid
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. bear — the animal
  17. kid — to tease
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. kid — child
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pitch — completely

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