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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pop — soda
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. pass — a permit
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. pop — music
  8. shower — rain
  9. land — ground
  10. vault — a safe
  11. rule — a law
  12. rule — government
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — a country
  16. mine — for digging
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. shower — to wash
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. pop — to visit
  24. mine — an explosive

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