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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. roll — a cake
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — a price
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rush — hurry
  10. net — in sport
  11. net — after costs
  12. pass — a permit
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stand — to bear
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. roll — a list
  17. net — for catching
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. charge — electricity
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. rush — a thrill

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