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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.

Make a worksheet

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: spell · capital · wind · rush · bay · date · ball · pass

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. capital — money
  6. ball — a dance
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. rush — hurry
  11. pass — a permit
  12. wind — moving air
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. date — the fruit
  15. wind — moving air
  16. spell — a short time
  17. spell — letters
  18. ball — a great time
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. capital — a city
  23. rush — to hurry
  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