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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: ball · pitch · craft · track · bowl · pass · wax · fall

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. fall — to drop
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — completely
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. ball — a dance
  9. craft — boats
  10. pass — a permit
  11. craft — a skill
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. track — a path
  15. track — a song
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. fall — the season
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. wax — to grow
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. ball — a great time
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. wax — in the ear

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