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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. net — after costs
  3. rule — government
  4. squash — to crush
  5. staff — employees
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. saw — the tool
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. staff — a stick
  13. rule — a law
  14. net — in sport
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — to bear
  17. net — for catching
  18. staff — employees
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. stand — for spectators

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