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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. pop — to visit
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. pop — music
  7. scale — in music
  8. firm — steady
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. degree — an amount
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pop — soda
  14. scale — size or range
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. firm — a company
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. degree — temperature
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. degree — from a university
  23. firm — decided
  24. rash — a series

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