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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: pass · racket · wax · pit · arm · land · roll · suit

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. land — a country
  4. pit — a hole
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. suit — in cards
  10. wax — to grow
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. land — to come down
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — a permit
  19. roll — a list
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pit — in a race
  23. suit — to fit
  24. land — ground

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