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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. mine — for digging
  3. mug — a cup
  4. face — to point toward
  5. tube — the underground
  6. cue — for pool
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. fall — to drop
  9. cue — a signal
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. mug — a face
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. mug — to rob
  15. face — to confront
  16. fall — to drop
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. face — part of the head
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. cue — a hint
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. fall — the season
  24. tube — a container

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