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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.

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 · bulb · present · wax · trunk · stick · track · sharp

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. present — there
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. wax — to grow
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. sharp — clever
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. present — a gift
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pitch — completely
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. present — the time now
  20. track — a song
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. track — a path
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. track — to keep track

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