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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. chair — a leader
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. firm — a company
  11. firm — steady
  12. rest — what's left
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. cold — not warm
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. firm — decided
  22. cold — an illness
  23. foot — a measure
  24. rush — hurry

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