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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
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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: cold · wax · bass · pass · rock · mug · deal · game

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. rock — a stone
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. mug — to rob
  6. game — a match
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — a face
  9. bass — the fish
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. rock — music
  14. cold — not warm
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. game — wild animals
  17. deal — to handle
  18. bass — low music
  19. cold — an illness
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. wax — to grow
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. deal — a big deal

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