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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
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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: deal · wax · race · ball · pass · mine · hide · nail

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. ball — a great time
  7. deal — to handle
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. ball — a dance
  11. race — humankind
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. race — a contest
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. wax — to grow
  24. race — the arms race

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