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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. court — for sport
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. court — of law
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. cue — a hint
  9. rule — a law
  10. cue — a signal
  11. court — of a king
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wake — a trail
  15. cue — for pool
  16. race — the arms race
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. dip — to sink
  19. race — humankind
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. race — a contest
  24. hide — to keep secret

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