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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. cap — a hat
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rule — a law
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. rule — government
  12. cap — a lid

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