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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. pop — music
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. content — happy
  8. current — happening now
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — a law
  12. content — the amount
  13. stem — to come from
  14. current — electric
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pop — soda
  20. current — of water
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pound — to hit hard

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