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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
468
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: hand · pass · wave · rock · file · bear · arm · roll

  1. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. pass — a permit
  4. rock — a stone
  5. hand — in cards
  6. file — a document
  7. hand — help
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bear — the animal
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. file — a tool
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. rock — music
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. roll — a list
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. roll — a cake

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