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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. band — a ring
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. band — a music group
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rush — hurry
  7. cap — a hat
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. club — a group
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. pit — a hole
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. pit — in a race
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. cap — of ice
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. cap — a lid
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — for golf
  24. hide — to keep secret

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