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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: pitch · plane · vault · ball · field · wax · tube · mouse

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. field — farmland
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. pitch — completely
  10. ball — a great time
  11. tube — the underground
  12. vault — a safe
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — a tool
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. field — a subject
  19. field — for sport
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. ball — a dance
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. tube — a container
  24. tube — in a tire

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