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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: tear · current · bowl · wax · suit · hand · pit · pass

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. pit — in a race
  3. tear — from crying
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pass — a permit
  6. hand — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. tear — to rip
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. suit — in cards
  14. tear — from crying
  15. wax — to grow
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. current — happening now
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. current — of water
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. hand — help
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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