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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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. press — newspapers
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. ball — a great time
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. ball — a dance
  17. can — a tin
  18. press — to push
  19. can — to be able to
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. press — a publisher
  22. can — a tin
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wax — to grow

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