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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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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: wax · deal · pitch · racket · lash · band · wave · leaves

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. band — a ring
  6. pitch — completely
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. band — a music group
  19. wax — to grow
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. deal — to handle

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