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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 120 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: saw · row · cue · wave · fan · nail · pass · pit

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  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. fan — a supporter
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — a hint
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pit — in a race
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. row — a line
  9. saw — the tool
  10. row — to paddle
  11. pit — a hole
  12. cue — for pool
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. pass — a permit
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. row — a quarrel
  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