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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. net — in sport
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. cold — not warm
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pass — a permit
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. net — for catching
  11. stand — to bear
  12. ball — a great time
  13. net — after costs
  14. cold — an illness
  15. ball — a dance
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. stand — on your feet

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