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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: net · pitch · bound · nail · suit · wax · mark · bark

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. net — for catching
  3. wax — to grow
  4. bark — to shout
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. suit — in cards
  9. net — after costs
  10. mark — a trace
  11. bound — obliged
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mark — a grade
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. bound — tied together
  16. suit — to fit
  17. net — in sport
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bound — certain
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pitch — completely
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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