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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 120 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: rest · present · pitch · wax · board · wake · degree · pass

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. present — the time now
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. present — there
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wax — to grow
  9. rest — what's left
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. present — a gift
  12. rest — a break
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. board — to get on
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. degree — an amount
  21. degree — temperature
  22. board — a committee
  23. rest — what's left
  24. degree — from a university

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