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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. rule — government
  6. charge — a price
  7. bass — low music
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. stand — to bear
  12. rule — a law
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. tube — the underground
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. charge — electricity
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. tube — a container
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. charge — in control
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. bass — the fish
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rush — 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