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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. present — a gift
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wake — a trail
  8. rush — hurry
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. pass — a permit
  11. march — the month
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. march — music
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. march — the month
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — there
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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