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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. pop — soda
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wake — a trail
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. land — to come down
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pop — music
  15. land — a country
  16. bore — to drill
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. game — wild animals
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. land — ground
  21. bore — to tire
  22. game — a match
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. pass — to succeed

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