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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 116 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: wax · stand · dip · file · hide · branch · season · pitch

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. season — in sport
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. dip — to sink
  6. pitch — completely
  7. branch — a division
  8. stand — to bear
  9. file — a tool
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. wax — to grow
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. season — of the year
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. file — a line of people
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. file — a document
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. wax — in the ear

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