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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.

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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 · wax · fork · firm · stick · key · roll · lean

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. firm — steady
  4. wax — to grow
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. roll — a cake
  8. key — in music
  9. firm — a company
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. roll — a list
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. firm — decided
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. key — for a lock
  16. fork — in a road
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. lean — thin
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. pitch — completely
  23. key — the most important part
  24. lean — to bend

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