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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: rock · bear · pass · bat · mark · wave · last · firm

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. bear — the animal
  4. firm — steady
  5. last — to go on
  6. last — final
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. firm — decided
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. rock — a stone
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bat — the animal
  18. last — finally
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. rock — music
  24. firm — a company

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