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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: object · racket · mark · wax · suit · pass · band · ground

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. ground — the earth
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. ground — a position
  9. object — a thing
  10. mark — a grade
  11. suit — to fit
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. wax — to grow
  15. suit — clothes
  16. object — an aim
  17. band — a music group
  18. ground — crushed
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. object — to protest
  23. mark — a trace
  24. suit — in cards

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