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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. cap — of ice
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. key — for a lock
  5. cap — a hat
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bear — the animal
  8. key — in music
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. cap — a lid
  11. rest — what's left
  12. spell — letters
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. rule — a law
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. rest — what's left
  18. spell — a short time
  19. key — the most important part
  20. spell — magic
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rule — government
  24. coach — a trainer

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