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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: mate · wound · pass · fan · pop · wave · present · staff

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. pop — music
  4. staff — a stick
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. wound — an injury
  8. pass — a permit
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. mate — a partner
  11. pop — soda
  12. mate — to breed
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. present — there
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. mate — a friend
  18. wound — an injury
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. staff — employees
  21. present — a gift
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. pop — to visit
  24. present — the time now

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