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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

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

Word bank: wax · fork · ruler · pitch · bowl · present

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — there
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. fork — in a road
  6. present — the time now
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. pitch — completely

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