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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wave · drill · pit · mine · jam · suit · fine · tube

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. suit — to fit
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. drill — a practice
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. pit — in a race
  11. tube — a container
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. drill — the tool
  14. suit — in cards
  15. drill — army training
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pit — a hole
  19. fine — all right
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. tube — the underground
  23. fine — high quality
  24. mine — belonging to me

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