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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 116 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: snap · bear · object · pitch · wax · can · fork · nail

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. can — to be able to
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. object — to protest
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. bear — the animal
  12. can — a tin
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. fork — in a road
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. pitch — completely
  18. object — an aim
  19. snap — to click
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. can — a tin
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. bear — the animal
  24. object — a thing

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