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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. pass — a permit
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. object — to protest
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. object — an aim
  12. band — a music group
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. deal — to handle
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. object — a thing
  19. perch — the fish
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. band — a ring

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