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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: mark · suit · pass · track · bass · fall · face · wax

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  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. face — to point toward
  2. wax — to grow
  3. track — to keep track
  4. track — a path
  5. pass — a permit
  6. mark — a trace
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. track — a song
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — part of the head
  17. suit — to fit
  18. bass — the fish
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bass — low music
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — the season
  23. pass — to succeed
  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