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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: kick · wave · pass · mouse · spring · file · net · rock

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. file — a tool
  4. pass — a permit
  5. rock — a stone
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. net — for catching
  8. rock — music
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. net — in sport
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. kick — in football
  16. file — a document
  17. file — a line of people
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. spring — a coil
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. net — after costs
  24. spring — the season

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