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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 120 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: key · deal · bay · pit · fan · wax · pass · field

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. key — in music
  3. field — farmland
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. pit — in a race
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pass — a permit
  15. field — a subject
  16. pit — a hole
  17. deal — to handle
  18. key — the most important part
  19. field — for sport
  20. key — for a lock
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. wax — to grow
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. deal — an agreement

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