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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. snap — to click
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. plane — a tool
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. fall — the season
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. fall — to drop
  16. bear — the animal
  17. fall — to drop
  18. rule — government
  19. bear — the animal
  20. ball — a dance
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. ball — a great time

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