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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. rock — a stone
  4. plane — a tool
  5. row — to paddle
  6. rule — a law
  7. rock — music
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. pit — in a race
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. band — a music group
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — government
  17. band — a ring
  18. kid — child
  19. pit — a hole
  20. row — a line
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. kid — to tease
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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