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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.

Make a worksheet

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: content · mine · rock · pass · file · rush · hide · wave

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. pass — a permit
  3. rock — music
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. file — a tool
  10. rock — a stone
  11. file — a line of people
  12. mine — for digging
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. file — a document
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. content — happy
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. content — the amount
  24. rush — hurry

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