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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. march — the month
  4. chest — a box
  5. march — music
  6. march — the month
  7. chest — of your body
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. charge — electricity
  12. wax — to grow
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. chest — of your body
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. foot — a measure
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. charge — a price
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. charge — in control
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — with your hand

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