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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — a tin
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. cue — a signal
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. cue — for pool
  12. wound — an injury
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. pass — a permit
  18. wound — an injury
  19. can — to be able to
  20. rule — a law
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. cue — a hint
  24. rule — government

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