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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. staff — employees
  3. key — the most important part
  4. spell — letters
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. spell — a short time
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. plane — a tool
  9. key — for a lock
  10. rule — government
  11. net — after costs
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. net — for catching
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. staff — employees
  17. key — in music
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. spell — magic
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. rule — a law
  22. staff — a stick
  23. deal — to handle
  24. net — in sport

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