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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: net · current · wax · pitch · key · can · racket · arm

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. current — happening now
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — after costs
  8. key — in music
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. current — of water
  11. key — for a lock
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. can — to be able to
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. can — a tin
  19. net — for catching
  20. can — a tin
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — completely
  23. current — electric
  24. key — the most important part

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