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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. land — ground
  3. club — for golf
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. toast — bread
  8. fine — all right
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. scale — in music
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. land — a country
  13. roll — a cake
  14. scale — size or range
  15. land — to come down
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. press — newspapers
  18. press — a publisher
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. club — a group
  21. roll — a list
  22. club — for dancing
  23. fine — high quality
  24. press — to push

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