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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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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: wax · temple · stick · pitcher · pit · foot · band · stand

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. foot — a measure
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. wax — to grow
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. band — a ring
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. band — a music group
  24. temple — a place of worship

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