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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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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 · suit · stick · wax · cap · prune · chair · coach

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. suit — in cards
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pitch — completely
  6. chair — a leader
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. cap — of ice
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. suit — clothes
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. prune — to trim
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. cap — a lid
  17. prune — to trim
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. cap — a hat
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. wax — to grow
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. prune — the fruit

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