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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. charge — in control
  6. club — for golf
  7. stand — to bear
  8. charge — a price
  9. club — for dancing
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. club — a group
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. cold — an illness
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. cold — not warm
  20. charge — electricity
  21. kid — child
  22. kid — to tease
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. stand — for spectators

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