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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: mate · wax · pitch · racket · bass · row · cap · mark

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wax — to grow
  4. bass — low music
  5. row — to paddle
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bass — the fish
  8. mate — to breed
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. cap — a lid
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. cap — of ice
  13. cap — a hat
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. mate — a friend
  19. row — a line
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. pitch — completely
  24. mate — a partner

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