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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: can · net · cold · perch · wax · pitch · mark · current

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. net — for catching
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. mark — a trace
  7. pitch — completely
  8. can — to be able to
  9. net — after costs
  10. can — a tin
  11. current — electric
  12. wax — to grow
  13. current — of water
  14. cold — an illness
  15. current — happening now
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. net — in sport
  19. perch — the fish
  20. cold — not warm
  21. can — a tin
  22. mark — a grade
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. wax — in the ear

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