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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.

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: stick · degree · season · wax · rock · pit · pitcher · firm

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. rock — a stone
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wax — to grow
  9. season — of the year
  10. firm — steady
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. degree — an amount
  14. firm — decided
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a hole
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. degree — from a university
  19. degree — temperature
  20. season — in sport
  21. rock — music
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. firm — a company

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