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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: ground · file · fall · mark · chip · wave · pass · calf

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. ground — a position
  3. ground — the earth
  4. mark — a trace
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. fall — to drop
  7. chip — for betting
  8. file — a tool
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. ground — crushed
  12. fall — to drop
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. fall — the season
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. file — a document
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. pass — a permit
  23. file — a line of people
  24. pass — to succeed

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