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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. court — of law
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. roll — a cake
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. court — of a king
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. cue — a signal
  10. roll — a list
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a hint
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. rule — government
  17. rule — a law
  18. court — for sport
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. last — to go on
  21. foot — a measure
  22. last — finally
  23. pound — a weight
  24. last — final

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