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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. mark — a trace
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. tube — a container
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — a permit
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. mark — a grade
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. spell — magic
  14. cell — a phone
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. spell — letters
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. tube — the underground
  22. spell — a short time
  23. cell — in biology
  24. wave — of the sea

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