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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 120 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. charge — in control
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. present — the time now
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. charge — a price
  8. prune — to trim
  9. pop — to visit
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. present — there
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. present — a gift
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. prune — to trim
  19. charge — electricity
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. pop — music
  22. pop — soda
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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