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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: game · wake · pitch · press · wax · vault · swing · calf

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. game — wild animals
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. press — a publisher
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. swing — music
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. game — a match
  9. vault — a safe
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wake — a trail
  19. press — newspapers
  20. swing — to play on
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. press — to push
  23. pitch — completely
  24. wax — to grow

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