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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.

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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: pitch · cabinet · date · wax · wave · arm · lean · calf

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. lean — thin
  8. wax — to grow
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. date — the fruit
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. pitch — completely
  18. lean — to bend
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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