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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 · saw · chip · roll · court · pass · cell · wax

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. court — of a king
  3. wax — to grow
  4. suit — in cards
  5. saw — the tool
  6. suit — to fit
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. chip — for betting
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. saw — the tool
  11. chip — to eat
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. roll — a cake
  15. suit — clothes
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. roll — a list
  18. pass — a permit
  19. court — for sport
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. cell — a phone
  24. cell — in biology

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