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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: rock · pitcher · branch · wax · can · suit · pitch · deal

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — to handle
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. pitch — completely
  6. can — a tin
  7. rock — music
  8. rock — a stone
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. branch — a division
  12. wax — to grow
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. can — a tin
  15. suit — in cards
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. can — to be able to
  18. suit — clothes
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. branch — of a tree

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