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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: ball · last · wake · dip · key · scale · wave · pass

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wake — a trail
  3. key — in music
  4. last — to go on
  5. last — final
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. key — for a lock
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. dip — to sink
  14. scale — in music
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. ball — a dance
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. key — the most important part
  21. pass — a permit
  22. scale — size or range
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. last — finally

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