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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 124 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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. hand — in cards
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. rule — government
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. suit — in cards
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bear — the animal
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bark — to shout
  14. bear — the animal
  15. hand — help
  16. suit — clothes
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. wake — a trail
  24. rule — a law

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