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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: pass · dip · last · toast · temple · cell · ball · wave

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. cell — in biology
  3. last — to go on
  4. toast — bread
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. ball — a dance
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. ball — a great time
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. last — final
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. last — finally
  21. cell — a phone
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. dip — to sink
  24. dip — a sauce

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