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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. pass — a permit
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. face — part of the head
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. wake — a trail
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. face — to confront
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pit — in a race
  15. charge — in control
  16. kid — child
  17. kid — to tease
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. charge — electricity
  20. face — to point toward
  21. wound — an injury
  22. charge — a price
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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