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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 · pop · spell · fine · stand · nail · last · wake

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. pop — music
  4. fine — high quality
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pass — a permit
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. pop — soda
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. spell — a short time
  12. stand — to bear
  13. last — to go on
  14. last — finally
  15. last — final
  16. fine — all right
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. spell — magic
  24. nail — on a finger

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