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

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. spell — letters
  6. wax — to grow
  7. roll — a list
  8. file — a line of people
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. press — newspapers
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. pass — a permit
  15. press — to push
  16. file — a document
  17. spell — a short time
  18. press — a publisher
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. roll — a cake
  21. spell — magic
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. file — a tool

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