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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 · deal · wax · suit · lean · fan · kick · bass

  1. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — to grow
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — thin
  5. lean — to bend
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. deal — to handle
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. suit — to fit
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bass — the fish
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. bass — low music
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. kick — in football
  24. pit — in a race

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