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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. key — the most important part
  4. pop — soda
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. cap — a lid
  8. squash — to crush
  9. key — for a lock
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. pass — a permit
  12. cap — a hat
  13. pop — music
  14. key — in music
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. deal — to handle
  17. foot — a measure
  18. cap — of ice
  19. squash — the sport
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. pop — to visit
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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