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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. firm — a company
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. rule — government
  7. firm — decided
  8. key — in music
  9. firm — steady
  10. stand — to bear
  11. branch — a division
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. deal — to handle
  14. key — the most important part
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. key — for a lock
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. fork — in a road
  21. rule — a law
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stand — on your feet

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