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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 · stand · wax · foot · roll · racket · game · trunk

  1. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. foot — a measure
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. roll — a cake
  10. game — wild animals
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. game — a match
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. stand — to bear
  18. wax — to grow
  19. suit — clothes
  20. roll — a list
  21. suit — in cards
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. suit — to fit

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