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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 116 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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. rule — government
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. scale — size or range
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. chip — to eat
  13. saw — the tool
  14. scale — in music
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. rule — a law
  18. saw — the tool
  19. chip — for betting
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. wound — an injury
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. wound — an injury
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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