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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: suit · wax · pit · rest · pitch · toast · squash · bore

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. rest — a break
  3. pit — in a race
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rest — what's left
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. toast — bread
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bore — to drill
  12. squash — the sport
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. bore — to tire
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. pitch — completely
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. suit — to fit
  22. squash — to crush
  23. wax — to grow
  24. rest — what's left

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