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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.

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: press · pitcher · field · club · date · wax · pass · bay

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. field — for sport
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. club — for dancing
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. date — the fruit
  11. press — to push
  12. press — newspapers
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. field — a subject
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. wax — to grow
  21. club — for golf
  22. club — a group
  23. field — farmland
  24. date — on the calendar

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