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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.

Make a worksheet

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: jam · degree · pass · land · wave · arm · game · lie

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. land — to come down
  4. game — wild animals
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. lie — to recline
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. degree — an amount
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. land — ground
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. degree — temperature
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. degree — from a university
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pass — a permit
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. land — a country
  23. game — a match
  24. arm — part of the body

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