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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: pit · wave · plane · face · racket · staff · shower · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. face — to confront
  6. suit — in cards
  7. staff — a stick
  8. pit — in a race
  9. staff — employees
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. face — part of the head
  13. staff — employees
  14. face — to point toward
  15. shower — rain
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. shower — to wash
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. pit — a hole
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. plane — a tool
  23. suit — to fit
  24. racket — for tennis

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