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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: cabinet · safe · wax · mark · mug · rush · pitch · mine

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. mark — a grade
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — completely
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mug — to rob
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. mug — a face
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. wax — to grow
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mug — a cup
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. mark — a trace

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