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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 116 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
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: pass · bat · spell · wax · club · game · bay · ground

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. club — for dancing
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. wax — to grow
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. game — wild animals
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. ground — a position
  11. bat — the animal
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. ground — the earth
  14. spell — magic
  15. club — for golf
  16. spell — letters
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. ground — crushed
  22. club — a group
  23. spell — a short time
  24. pass — to succeed

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