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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rule — government
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. rock — a stone
  11. game — a match
  12. rock — music
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bound — certain
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bound — tied together
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. game — wild animals
  21. rule — a law
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bound — obliged

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