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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: pass · wave · press · wound · object · rush · file · mark

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. press — a publisher
  3. file — a document
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. press — to push
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. press — newspapers
  9. file — a line of people
  10. object — a thing
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. object — to protest
  13. rush — hurry
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. mark — a grade
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. wound — an injury
  19. mark — a trace
  20. wound — an injury
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. object — an aim
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. file — a tool

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