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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: roll · bat · fine · pass · club · current · wax · temple

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. club — for dancing
  4. club — a group
  5. fine — all right
  6. current — happening now
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. roll — a list
  9. current — electric
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. fine — high quality
  14. current — of water
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. club — for golf
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. wax — to grow
  20. pass — a permit
  21. roll — a cake
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. bat — the animal
  24. wax — for sculpting

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