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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: wax · race · object · pitcher · pitch · can · bay · rest

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. object — to protest
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. race — humankind
  6. can — a tin
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. can — to be able to
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. object — a thing
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. pitch — completely
  13. race — a contest
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. rest — what's left
  16. race — the arms race
  17. rest — a break
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. wax — to grow
  21. object — an aim
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. rest — what's left
  24. can — a tin

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