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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: mouse · pitch · rush · bay · pitcher · wax · face · chip

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. chip — to eat
  3. pitch — completely
  4. face — part of the head
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — for betting
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. face — to confront
  14. rush — hurry
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. wax — to grow
  22. face — to point toward
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bay — a horse colour

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