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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mug · pitch · season · cue · pound · clip · bank · wax

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. clip — for paper
  3. cue — for pool
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. season — of the year
  6. bank — for money
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. cue — a signal
  9. pitch — completely
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — to grow
  12. mug — to rob
  13. clip — a video
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. season — in sport
  16. pound — a weight
  17. mug — a cup
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. clip — to cut
  21. bank — of a river
  22. mug — a face
  23. bank — for money
  24. season — to add flavour

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