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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: bass · dip · pitch · ruler · stick · wax · pass · spring

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. wax — to grow
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. dip — to sink
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bass — low music
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. spring — the season
  21. spring — of water
  22. spring — a coil
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. wax — for sculpting

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