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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 120 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. file — a document
  3. file — a tool
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. club — for dancing
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. ball — a great time
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. club — for golf
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. track — a song
  15. mark — a grade
  16. ball — a dance
  17. track — to keep track
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. club — a group
  23. track — a path
  24. file — a line of people

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