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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mark · bowl · chair · rule · wave · pass

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. chair — a leader
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — a law
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. mark — a grade
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. rule — government
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. 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