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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: track · current · pitcher · wax · bowl · object · pass · cap

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. cap — of ice
  3. pass — a permit
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. object — a thing
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. cap — a lid
  9. object — to protest
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. current — happening now
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. track — a song
  17. cap — a hat
  18. current — electric
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. track — a path
  21. current — of water
  22. object — an aim
  23. track — to keep track
  24. wax — to grow

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