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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. bear — the animal
  7. vault — a safe
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. wound — an injury
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. snap — to click
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bark — to shout
  21. rush — hurry
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. rule — a law
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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