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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: date · pass · drill · racket · wave · fall · present · arm

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. present — a gift
  3. drill — a practice
  4. present — the time now
  5. drill — the tool
  6. fall — to drop
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. pass — a permit
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. fall — to drop
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. fall — the season
  20. drill — army training
  21. present — there
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. date — the fruit

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