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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pitch · craft · wax · field · mouse · leaves · can · cap

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. can — to be able to
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. field — farmland
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. cap — a lid
  8. pitch — completely
  9. can — a tin
  10. cap — of ice
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. wax — to grow
  13. can — a tin
  14. cap — a hat
  15. craft — boats
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. field — a subject
  21. field — for sport
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. craft — a skill

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