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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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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: leaves · pitch · wax · lean · stick · mouse · fork · cap

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. lean — to bend
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. cap — a lid
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. lean — thin
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. wax — to grow
  24. cap — a hat

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