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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 120 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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. squash — to crush
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. rule — a law
  7. club — a group
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. cap — a hat
  10. rule — government
  11. cap — of ice
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. game — a match
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. rush — hurry
  18. game — wild animals
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. club — for golf
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. squash — the sport
  24. cap — a lid

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