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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: fine · march · pitcher · wake · pitch · vault · band · wax

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. fine — high quality
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. wax — to grow
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. band — a music group
  9. march — music
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. band — a ring
  12. fine — all right
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. vault — a safe
  16. march — the month
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. march — the month
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitch — completely
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. fine — a penalty

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