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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: wave · pass · file · chip · bay · deal · kick · rush

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. chip — for betting
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pass — a permit
  11. file — a tool
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. file — a document
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. kick — in football
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. rush — hurry
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. file — a line of people
  24. deal — a big deal

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