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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. swing — music
  3. rule — a law
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. rest — what's left
  6. swing — to play on
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. swing — in golf
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rule — government
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. firm — a company
  16. fall — to drop
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. firm — decided
  19. fall — to drop
  20. firm — steady
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rest — a break
  23. fall — the season
  24. hide — to keep secret

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