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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 120 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: prune · sharp · wax · pitch · stick · key · scale · present

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. pitch — completely
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. key — the most important part
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. sharp — clever
  7. scale — in music
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. prune — to trim
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. present — the time now
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. present — a gift
  16. prune — to trim
  17. present — there
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. key — for a lock
  21. wax — to grow
  22. scale — size or range
  23. key — in music
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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