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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 116 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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. rock — music
  3. firm — decided
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. firm — steady
  7. band — a ring
  8. rock — a stone
  9. row — to paddle
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. row — a line
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. band — a music group
  18. dip — to sink
  19. rule — government
  20. firm — a company
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. dip — a sauce

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