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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. club — for golf
  3. pass — a permit
  4. club — for dancing
  5. bank — for money
  6. club — a group
  7. bank — for money
  8. pit — a hole
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. last — to go on
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bank — of a river
  15. last — final
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. stand — to bear
  20. sharp — clever
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. last — finally
  24. stand — for spectators

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