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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wave · cap · pass · spring · mouse · track · mine · cabinet

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. track — a song
  4. pass — a permit
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. track — a path
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. spring — of water
  12. cap — a lid
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. cap — of ice
  18. spring — a coil
  19. cap — a hat
  20. track — to keep track
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. spring — the season
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. cabinet — ministers

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