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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. kick — in football
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. race — a contest
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. tube — the underground
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to tire
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. race — the arms race
  20. tube — a container
  21. pass — a permit
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. race — humankind

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