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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. pit — in a race
  4. file — a document
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. bass — low music
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bass — the fish
  9. firm — decided
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. last — to go on
  12. chip — for betting
  13. last — finally
  14. chip — to eat
  15. file — a tool
  16. firm — steady
  17. file — a line of people
  18. last — final
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. pit — a hole
  23. firm — a company
  24. chip — in a computer

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