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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. rule — government
  3. pit — a hole
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. club — a group
  9. club — for dancing
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. band — a music group
  12. fork — in a road
  13. band — a ring
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pit — in a race
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. rule — a law
  22. club — for golf
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. pitcher — a jug

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