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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. pop — music
  5. pop — to visit
  6. firm — decided
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. snap — to click
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. kick — in football
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. firm — a company
  14. pop — soda
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. cold — an illness
  19. firm — steady
  20. cold — not warm
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. rule — a law
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. rule — government

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