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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bat · mine · arm · wax · saw · fine · deal · pass

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. fine — high quality
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. deal — to handle
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. mine — for digging
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. pass — a permit
  23. saw — the tool
  24. arm — part of the body

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