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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. ground — the earth
  3. lean — to bend
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. pass — a permit
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. march — the month
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. lean — thin
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. ground — crushed
  17. wake — a trail
  18. ground — a position
  19. march — the month
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. march — music
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. kick — in football
  24. racket — for tennis

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