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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.

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 · trunk · racket · lie · staff · wax · dip · chip

  1. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — in the ear
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. staff — a stick
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. staff — employees
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. chip — for betting
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. chip — to eat
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. dip — to sink
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — to grow
  24. staff — employees

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