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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: wake · cap · march · pitch · wax · cabinet · pass · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — to fit
  3. wake — a trail
  4. march — the month
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. suit — in cards
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. wax — to grow
  15. cap — a hat
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. march — the month
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. march — music
  24. cap — of ice

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