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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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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: wave · snap · race · ground · mine · firm · pass · toast

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. firm — steady
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. ground — the earth
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. race — a contest
  10. mine — for digging
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — crushed
  14. race — humankind
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. snap — to click
  17. race — the arms race
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. pass — a permit
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — decided
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. toast — bread

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