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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: pass · fine · ball · wake · wind · tube · mine · can

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. fine — all right
  3. tube — a container
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. wind — moving air
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. mine — for digging
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — a trail
  11. can — a tin
  12. fine — high quality
  13. can — a tin
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. tube — the underground
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. pass — a permit
  21. can — to be able to
  22. ball — a dance
  23. wind — moving air
  24. fine — a penalty

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