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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. rule — government
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. tube — the underground
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rule — a law
  9. present — there
  10. chair — a leader
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. object — to protest
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. chip — to eat
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. object — a thing
  20. chip — for betting
  21. present — a gift
  22. present — the time now
  23. tube — a container
  24. object — an aim

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