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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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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: pit · can · bore · pitch · mate · wound · bay · wax

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. can — to be able to
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. can — a tin
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — to grow
  8. bore — to drill
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. mate — a friend
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. bore — to tire
  18. mate — a partner
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. pit — a hole
  22. mate — to breed
  23. wound — an injury
  24. can — a tin

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