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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 120 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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. charge — a price
  3. last — to go on
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. present — the time now
  13. last — final
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. fork — in a road
  16. present — there
  17. charge — in control
  18. pass — a permit
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. last — finally
  21. present — a gift
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. charge — electricity
  24. craft — a skill

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