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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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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 · rock · wax · temple · chest · deal · cabinet · ruler

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rock — music
  4. chest — of your body
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. rock — a stone
  8. wax — to grow
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. chest — a box
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. chest — of your body
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. deal — to handle
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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