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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
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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: mate · foot · wax · pitch · wake · fan · jam · leaves

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. mate — a partner
  11. foot — a measure
  12. mate — a friend
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. pitch — completely
  15. mate — to breed
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. wax — to grow
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wake — a trail

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