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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 116 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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. pass — a permit
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. pound — a weight
  6. stem — to come from
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. game — a match
  13. game — wild animals
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. track — to keep track
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. track — a song
  22. track — a path
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. squash — to crush

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