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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.

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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: can · wax · bass · ball · board · ground · pit · suit

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. suit — clothes
  3. pit — in a race
  4. can — a tin
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. bass — the fish
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bass — low music
  10. can — to be able to
  11. board — a committee
  12. can — a tin
  13. suit — to fit
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. suit — in cards
  18. ground — a position
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. board — to get on
  22. ground — the earth
  23. ground — crushed
  24. pit — a hole

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