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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: cap · perch · bass · suit · wax · pitch · bear · hide

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. bear — the animal
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. cap — a hat
  8. suit — to fit
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. bass — low music
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. wax — to grow
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. pitch — completely
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. suit — clothes
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. perch — the fish
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cap — a lid

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