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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. mine — for digging
  6. pop — to visit
  7. root — of a word
  8. pop — soda
  9. rule — government
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. root — the cause
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bat — the animal
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. pop — music
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rush — hurry
  23. rule — a law
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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