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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.

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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 · wax · leaves · date · mug · cue · lash · pit

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. pitch — completely
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. mug — a cup
  6. pit — a hole
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. pit — in a race
  9. date — the fruit
  10. cue — for pool
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. wax — to grow
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. cue — a signal
  16. mug — to rob
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. cue — a hint
  24. mug — a face

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