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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 120 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: bay · wake · present · wave · pitch · band · wax · scale

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. scale — in music
  5. band — a ring
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. band — a music group
  10. pitch — completely
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. scale — size or range
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. present — there
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wax — to grow
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. present — a gift
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. bay — a horse colour

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