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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: cap · pitch · craft · band · wave · wax · jam · staff

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. staff — employees
  3. band — a music group
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. cap — a lid
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. craft — a skill
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. pitch — completely
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. staff — employees
  14. cap — of ice
  15. wax — to grow
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. cap — a hat
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. band — a ring
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. craft — boats

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