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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: wave · pass · race · chip · mouse · rock · object · drill

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. object — to protest
  3. drill — a practice
  4. race — the arms race
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. object — an aim
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. race — humankind
  11. object — a thing
  12. race — a contest
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. pass — a permit
  16. drill — army training
  17. chip — for betting
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. rock — a stone
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. rock — music
  22. chip — to eat
  23. drill — the tool
  24. mouse — the animal

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