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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. pop — music
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pop — soda
  6. lean — thin
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. pass — a permit
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — electricity
  14. lean — to bend
  15. game — a match
  16. present — a gift
  17. charge — a price
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. game — wild animals
  23. pop — to visit
  24. present — there

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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