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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. wound — an injury
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. mark — a grade
  7. land — to come down
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. wound — an injury
  17. land — a country
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. land — ground
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. pass — a permit
  22. date — the fruit
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. pass — to spend time

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