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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. pitch — completely
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fine — high quality
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. file — a document
  16. wind — moving air
  17. file — a line of people
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. file — a tool
  20. fine — all right
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. wind — moving air
  23. rule — government
  24. rule — to rule out

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