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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 116 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: pitch · stick · fan · wax · board · mouse · mine · trunk

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. board — to get on
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. wax — to grow
  18. pitch — completely
  19. board — a committee
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. trunk — of a car

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