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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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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: fan · pitch · wax · pass · track · current · cap · ruler

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. track — a song
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pass — a permit
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. current — happening now
  10. track — a path
  11. track — to keep track
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. cap — of ice
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. current — electric
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. cap — a lid
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. current — of water
  21. wax — to grow
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. cap — a hat
  24. fan — a supporter

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