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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 · wax · kick · net · saw · cap · safe · racket

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. saw — the tool
  3. cap — a hat
  4. wax — to grow
  5. net — for catching
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pitch — completely
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. saw — the tool
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — of ice
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. kick — in football
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. net — in sport
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. racket — for tennis

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