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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 120 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
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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: firm · tube · band · temple · wax · cap · staff · pitch

  1. When was this ________________ built?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. firm — a company
  3. cap — a lid
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. firm — steady
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. firm — decided
  11. pitch — completely
  12. tube — a container
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. staff — employees
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a hat
  17. band — a ring
  18. staff — a stick
  19. band — a music group
  20. tube — the underground
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. staff — employees
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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