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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 · fine · stand · wake · bass · shower · pit

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. suit — to fit
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. bass — the fish
  6. wax — to grow
  7. pit — a hole
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. shower — to wash
  10. suit — clothes
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. fine — all right
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. suit — in cards
  17. pit — in a race
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bass — low music
  20. wake — a trail
  21. shower — rain
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. fine — high quality

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