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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. fine — high quality
  4. mine — for digging
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. fine — all right
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. rash — hasty
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. fall — the season
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. rush — hurry
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. fall — to drop
  17. chip — to eat
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. fall — to drop
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. rash — a series
  24. fine — a penalty

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