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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: pass · bark · bat · ball · squash · pitch · bay · can

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — a permit
  3. squash — to crush
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. squash — the sport
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. ball — a dance
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pitch — completely
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bat — the animal
  14. bark — to shout
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. can — a tin
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bay — a horse colour

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