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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. swing — music
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. cell — in biology
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — government
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. cell — a phone
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. drill — the tool
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. swing — in golf
  20. drill — army training
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. drill — a practice
  23. swing — to play on
  24. rock — music

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