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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. object — a thing
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. kick — in football
  8. net — in sport
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. net — after costs
  11. object — an aim
  12. pitch — completely
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. tear — to rip
  15. rule — government
  16. object — to protest
  17. sharp — clever
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — from crying
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. rule — a law
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. net — for catching
  24. wave — of the sea

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