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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 116 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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. spell — magic
  5. game — wild animals
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. band — a music group
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pass — a permit
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. spell — a short time
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. band — a ring
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. game — a match

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