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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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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 · prune · bear · board · face · stand · wake · wax

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. board — a committee
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. pitch — completely
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. face — part of the head
  18. board — to get on
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wake — a trail
  21. face — to point toward
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. wax — to grow
  24. face — to confront

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