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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 116 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: pitch · coach · lean · scale · track · wax · squash · rash

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. scale — in music
  3. squash — to crush
  4. pitch — completely
  5. wax — to grow
  6. rash — a series
  7. track — a path
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. squash — the sport
  10. track — to keep track
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. rash — hasty
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. track — a song
  16. lean — to bend
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. scale — size or range
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. wax — in the ear

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