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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 116 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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. stand — to bear
  3. wax — to grow
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bank — for money
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. bank — for money
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. bank — of a river
  16. bulb — for light
  17. content — happy
  18. branch — a division
  19. pit — in a race
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pitch — completely
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. stand — on your feet

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