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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: stand · deal · pitch · wave · lash · wax · stock · bat

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. deal — to handle
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. pitch — completely
  11. stock — shares
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bat — the animal
  15. stock — goods
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. wax — to grow
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lash — to lash out

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