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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. can — a tin
  8. board — a committee
  9. cue — a hint
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. rule — a law
  12. cue — a signal
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. can — to be able to
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. board — to get on
  18. can — a tin
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. cold — an illness
  21. cue — for pool
  22. rush — hurry
  23. cold — not warm
  24. rush — to hurry

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