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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: pass · deal · jam · wave · spell · pound · chest · cue

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. spell — magic
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. cue — a signal
  6. spell — letters
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. pound — a weight
  9. chest — a box
  10. cue — a hint
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. spell — a short time
  14. chest — of your body
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. pass — a permit
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. chest — of your body
  20. deal — to handle
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. wave — of the sea

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