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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.

Make a worksheet

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: perch · suit · bass · march · pitch · can · stick · wax

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. march — music
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. pitch — completely
  6. march — the month
  7. suit — in cards
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. wax — to grow
  11. march — the month
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bass — the fish
  16. can — a tin
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. can — a tin
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bass — low music

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