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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. tube — the underground
  3. fall — to drop
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. key — in music
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. scale — in music
  8. key — for a lock
  9. pass — a permit
  10. tube — a container
  11. mine — for digging
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. fall — to drop
  17. scale — size or range
  18. key — the most important part
  19. fall — the season
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. wave — of the sea

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