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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.

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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: deal · roll · wax · stock · leaves · date · racket · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. stock — shares
  6. suit — clothes
  7. date — the fruit
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. roll — a cake
  13. deal — to handle
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. roll — a list
  16. suit — in cards
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. wax — to grow
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. stock — goods
  24. leaves — of a tree

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