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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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. rule — government
  3. fall — the season
  4. suit — clothes
  5. fall — to drop
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. fall — to drop
  8. swing — to play on
  9. rash — a series
  10. bore — to tire
  11. swing — in golf
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. rash — hasty
  15. suit — in cards
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. rule — a law
  18. bore — to drill
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. swing — music

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