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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. club — a group
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. rule — government
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. club — for dancing
  8. degree — temperature
  9. club — for golf
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. rock — music
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. rule — a law
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. degree — from a university
  18. degree — an amount
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. rock — a stone
  24. stand — to bear

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