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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
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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: rest · wax · ball · suit · racket · track · mate · bay

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. suit — in cards
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. ball — a dance
  10. track — a path
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mate — to breed
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. track — to keep track
  15. mate — a partner
  16. ball — a great time
  17. wax — to grow
  18. suit — to fit
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. track — a song
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. suit — clothes
  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