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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. pass — a permit
  6. present — a gift
  7. chip — to eat
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. stand — to bear
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. wound — an injury
  13. sharp — clever
  14. present — there
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. present — the time now
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wound — an injury
  24. chip — for betting

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