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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: wax · snap · spring · rash · pitch · cabinet · tube · pass

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  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. spring — the season
  2. wax — to grow
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. pass — a permit
  6. tube — the underground
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. rash — hasty
  10. spring — of water
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. tube — a container
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rash — a series
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to click
  20. spring — a coil
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pitch — completely
  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