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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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: staff · game · scale · object · pass · rock · wave · row

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. game — wild animals
  4. staff — a stick
  5. rock — music
  6. row — to paddle
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. scale — size or range
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pass — a permit
  11. object — an aim
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. rock — a stone
  14. staff — employees
  15. row — a line
  16. staff — employees
  17. scale — in music
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — a thing
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. row — a quarrel

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