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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.

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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rule — government
  5. bear — the animal
  6. season — of the year
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. mark — a trace
  9. season — in sport
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. suit — to fit
  14. rule — a law
  15. suit — in cards
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. mark — a grade

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