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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: jam · pitch · land · object · game · deal · suit · wax

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. suit — to fit
  4. object — to protest
  5. land — ground
  6. suit — in cards
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. game — a match
  10. land — to come down
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. land — a country
  15. wax — to grow
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. pitch — completely
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. object — a thing
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. game — wild animals
  22. object — an aim
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. deal — to handle

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