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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
468
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: pitch · jam · rash · kick · cabinet · prune · rock · wax

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. prune — to trim
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — a stone
  11. prune — to trim
  12. kick — in football
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. wax — to grow
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. pitch — completely
  20. rash — a series
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. wax — for sculpting

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