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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. rule — government
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. rule — a law
  5. rash — hasty
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. race — a contest
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mark — a grade
  13. rash — a series
  14. mark — a trace
  15. snap — to click
  16. net — after costs
  17. race — the arms race
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. net — in sport
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. net — for catching
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. race — humankind

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