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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
468
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: pit · suit · mate · chest · ball · wax · mine · stem

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  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. pit — a hole
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. suit — to fit
  5. wax — to grow
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. mate — to breed
  8. ball — a great time
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. suit — clothes
  13. chest — a box
  14. chest — of your body
  15. mate — a friend
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. ball — a dance
  18. chest — of your body
  19. pit — in a race
  20. stem — to come from
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mate — a partner
  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