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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — soda
  4. pop — to visit
  5. last — to go on
  6. pitch — completely
  7. last — finally
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. fall — to drop
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. pass — a permit
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. bore — to tire
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. last — final
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bore — to drill

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