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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. key — in music
  4. key — for a lock
  5. mug — a cup
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. board — a committee
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. key — the most important part
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. mug — a face
  12. cold — an illness
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. mug — to rob
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. board — to get on
  19. cold — not warm
  20. pit — in a race
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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