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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  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. last — to go on
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. present — the time now
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. present — a gift
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. net — after costs
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. last — final
  11. prune — to trim
  12. last — finally
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. net — for catching
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. net — in sport
  17. rule — government
  18. present — there
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. prune — to trim
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. wave — with your hand
  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