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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. key — in music
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. rule — government
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. squash — to crush
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. key — for a lock
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. squash — the sport
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. key — the most important part
  19. rule — a law
  20. rush — hurry
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. racket — a loud noise

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