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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 116 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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. content — happy
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. file — a line of people
  5. file — a document
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. craft — a skill
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pitch — completely
  14. cue — a signal
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. cue — a hint
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. file — a tool
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. cue — for pool
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. content — the amount
  24. craft — boats

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