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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
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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: wax · pitcher · branch · cap · cue · kick · pass · date

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. date — the fruit
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. cue — a hint
  7. wax — to grow
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. pass — a permit
  11. cap — of ice
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cap — a hat
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. branch — a division
  18. kick — in football
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. cap — a lid
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. cue — a signal
  24. pitcher — a jug

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