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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. track — to keep track
  5. ground — crushed
  6. dip — to sink
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. ground — the earth
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. track — a path
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. wake — a trail
  13. tube — the underground
  14. track — a song
  15. ground — a position
  16. present — there
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. tube — a container
  20. present — the time now
  21. rule — government
  22. rule — a law
  23. present — a gift
  24. wake — before a funeral

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