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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. saw — the tool
  6. roll — a cake
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. spell — magic
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. spell — letters
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. chest — a box
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pass — a permit
  21. chest — of your body
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. roll — a list
  24. spell — a short time

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