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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. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. pitch — completely
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. row — to paddle
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. row — a line
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — a signal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. cue — for pool
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pitcher — a jug

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