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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. fall — to drop
  4. wind — moving air
  5. object — to protest
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. mark — a trace
  8. deal — to handle
  9. fall — the season
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. pass — a permit
  14. object — a thing
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. mark — a grade
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. fall — to drop
  20. object — an aim
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. wind — moving air
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wind — to turn a key

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