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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
468
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: mark · key · pitch · chip · jam · wax · band · shower

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. shower — rain
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. pitch — completely
  6. key — in music
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. wax — to grow
  10. chip — for betting
  11. band — a ring
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. key — for a lock
  17. key — the most important part
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. mark — a grade
  20. shower — to wash
  21. mark — a trace
  22. chip — to eat
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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