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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: pass · bore · season · wave · chip · firm · stick · land

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bore — to drill
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. land — ground
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bore — to tire
  9. land — a country
  10. firm — a company
  11. pass — a permit
  12. land — to come down
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. firm — decided
  15. season — of the year
  16. season — in sport
  17. firm — steady
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. chip — for betting
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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