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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. lean — to bend
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. wax — to grow
  13. branch — a division
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. stand — to bear
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. vault — a safe
  18. lean — thin
  19. foot — a measure
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. pitch — completely
  24. foot — the bottom

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