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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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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: swing · wax · pit · jam · date · present · stick · suit

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  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. jam — in traffic
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. suit — in cards
  4. wax — to grow
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pit — in a race
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. swing — to play on
  10. present — there
  11. swing — in golf
  12. pit — a hole
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. suit — to fit
  15. swing — music
  16. present — a gift
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. date — the fruit
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. present — the time now
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. jam — a tight spot
  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