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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: craft · pass · game · march · squash · fine · wax · bowl

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. squash — to crush
  3. craft — boats
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. march — the month
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. fine — high quality
  13. game — wild animals
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. fine — all right
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. march — music
  19. squash — the sport
  20. game — a match
  21. wax — to grow
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. march — the month

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