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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: can · pitcher · safe · rush · pitch · snap · bound · wax

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. pitch — completely
  3. can — a tin
  4. snap — to click
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. bound — tied together
  12. can — to be able to
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — to grow
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. can — a tin
  17. bound — obliged
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bound — certain
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. rush — a thrill

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