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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: root · wake · cap · last · pitcher · pitch · bank · wax

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. root — of a word
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. cap — of ice
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. bank — of a river
  10. root — the cause
  11. last — finally
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bank — for money
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. bank — for money
  17. cap — a lid
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. cap — a hat
  20. last — final
  21. root — of a plant
  22. last — to go on
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pitcher — a jug

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