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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. wind — moving air
  3. firm — steady
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. game — wild animals
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. present — a gift
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. firm — a company
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. present — there
  16. firm — decided
  17. present — the time now
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pass — a permit
  21. game — a match
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. bowl — a football final

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