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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. march — music
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. rule — government
  12. rule — a law
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. rash — a series
  17. rush — hurry
  18. march — the month
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bulb — for light
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. sharp — clever
  24. march — the month

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