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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. ground — a position
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. firm — steady
  5. swing — in golf
  6. ground — crushed
  7. season — in sport
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. firm — decided
  11. swing — music
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. swing — to play on
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. rule — government
  16. race — a contest
  17. race — humankind
  18. race — the arms race
  19. season — of the year
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. firm — a company
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. ground — the earth
  24. rule — a law

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