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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. land — to come down
  5. pop — soda
  6. land — ground
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. suit — clothes
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pop — music
  11. fall — the season
  12. fall — to drop
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rule — government
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. club — for dancing
  18. suit — in cards
  19. club — a group
  20. fall — to drop
  21. club — for golf
  22. rule — a law
  23. land — a country
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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