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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bark — to shout
  5. squash — to crush
  6. rule — a law
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. cue — a signal
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. pop — to visit
  13. squash — the sport
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. cue — for pool
  19. cue — a hint
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. pop — soda
  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