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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: face · last · stand · racket · bass · pitcher · mug · wax

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — to bear
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. last — final
  10. face — part of the head
  11. last — to go on
  12. mug — a face
  13. wax — to grow
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. face — to point toward
  17. mug — a cup
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — low music
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. last — finally
  23. bass — the fish
  24. face — to confront

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