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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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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: charge · chest · wave · mark · saw · deal · pass · foot

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. mark — a grade
  3. charge — a price
  4. chest — of your body
  5. saw — the tool
  6. deal — to handle
  7. chest — a box
  8. pass — a permit
  9. charge — electricity
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. chest — of your body
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. charge — in control
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. mark — a trace
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. foot — a measure
  24. pass — to spend time

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