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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mark · wax · bay · face · field · fine · pitch · suit

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. field — for sport
  3. suit — to fit
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. face — part of the head
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mark — a trace
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. face — to confront
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. wax — to grow
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. field — a subject
  17. mark — a grade
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fine — high quality
  20. face — to point toward
  21. fine — all right
  22. pitch — completely
  23. field — farmland
  24. wax — in the ear

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