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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bound — certain
  3. kick — in football
  4. hand — in cards
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. land — a country
  7. rash — a series
  8. bound — tied together
  9. rush — hurry
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. land — to come down
  12. land — ground
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. pit — a hole
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. hand — help
  21. bound — obliged
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. rush — a thrill

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