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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. scale — size or range
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. fall — to drop
  7. staff — a stick
  8. fall — the season
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pass — a permit
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. scale — in music
  16. date — the fruit
  17. staff — employees
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. staff — employees
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. fall — to drop
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. nail — on a finger

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