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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 120 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: key · pass · file · squash · ground · wave · leaves · band

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. file — a tool
  4. band — a ring
  5. ground — a position
  6. key — the most important part
  7. file — a line of people
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. squash — the sport
  11. file — a document
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. key — for a lock
  14. band — a music group
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. ground — the earth
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. squash — to crush
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. ground — crushed
  23. key — in music
  24. pass — a permit

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