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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — clothes
  4. degree — an amount
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rule — a law
  9. ball — a dance
  10. club — for golf
  11. ball — a great time
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. degree — temperature
  14. club — for dancing
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. rule — government
  17. game — wild animals
  18. game — a match
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. club — a group
  21. degree — from a university
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. suit — to fit

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