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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. present — there
  3. rest — a break
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. pass — a permit
  6. last — final
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. present — a gift
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. firm — steady
  13. last — to go on
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. last — finally
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. present — the time now
  21. rest — what's left
  22. firm — decided
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bowl — a dish

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