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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. spring — a coil
  3. rule — government
  4. spring — the season
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. spring — of water
  9. firm — a company
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. firm — decided
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. rule — a law
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. firm — steady
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. mark — a trace
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. pass — a permit
  23. mark — a grade
  24. dip — to sink

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