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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. last — to go on
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. root — the cause
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. last — final
  8. deal — to handle
  9. root — of a word
  10. pass — a permit
  11. net — after costs
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. last — finally
  14. roll — a cake
  15. net — in sport
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. mark — a trace
  18. root — of a plant
  19. mark — a grade
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. net — for catching
  22. roll — a list
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. deal — an agreement

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