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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: rest · ball · present · wake · spring · pass · fall · kick

  1. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. spring — the season
  6. ball — a dance
  7. kick — in football
  8. wake — a trail
  9. present — there
  10. ball — a great time
  11. fall — to drop
  12. spring — of water
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. pass — a permit
  15. spring — a coil
  16. fall — the season
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. present — a gift
  20. present — the time now
  21. rest — a break
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. kick — a thrill

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