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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. present — the time now
  3. club — a group
  4. pass — a permit
  5. club — for dancing
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. present — there
  8. drill — army training
  9. pop — music
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pop — soda
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. drill — the tool
  14. club — for golf
  15. mug — a cup
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. mug — to rob
  18. present — a gift
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. band — a ring
  21. drill — a practice
  22. mug — a face
  23. band — a music group
  24. pop — to visit

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