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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. snap — to click
  5. saw — the tool
  6. fall — to drop
  7. stem — to come from
  8. fall — the season
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. wake — a trail
  11. last — to go on
  12. fall — to drop
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. last — final
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. saw — the tool
  23. last — finally
  24. pass — a permit

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