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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
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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: track · bowl · pit · fall · wax · face · suit · roll

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. track — a song
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. track — a path
  6. fall — to drop
  7. face — to confront
  8. track — to keep track
  9. suit — clothes
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. suit — to fit
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — the season
  16. face — part of the head
  17. wax — to grow
  18. face — to point toward
  19. roll — a cake
  20. suit — in cards
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. pit — a hole
  24. wax — for sculpting

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