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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 120 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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. firm — steady
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. swing — music
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. firm — decided
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. firm — a company
  11. swing — to play on
  12. pitch — completely
  13. mug — a cup
  14. pit — in a race
  15. cold — an illness
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. cold — not warm
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. mug — a face
  21. wax — to grow
  22. pit — a hole
  23. swing — in golf
  24. mug — to rob

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