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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. roll — a list
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. march — the month
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. pound — a weight
  10. chip — for betting
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. march — music
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. roll — a cake
  20. chip — to eat
  21. date — the fruit
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. march — the month

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