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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: wax · staff · pitch · patient · swing · snap · bass · lean

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. swing — in golf
  4. wax — to grow
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. swing — music
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bass — the fish
  10. staff — employees
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. lean — to bend
  13. staff — employees
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bass — low music
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. staff — a stick
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. snap — to click
  21. lean — thin
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. pitch — completely
  24. swing — to play on

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