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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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. last — finally
  5. present — the time now
  6. pass — a permit
  7. firm — steady
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — to drop
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. present — a gift
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. perch — the fish
  17. firm — decided
  18. last — to go on
  19. firm — a company
  20. present — there
  21. fall — the season
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. tube — the underground
  24. last — final

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