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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. charge — electricity
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. land — ground
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. rest — a break
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — a law
  11. land — to come down
  12. land — a country
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rule — government
  15. charge — in control
  16. rest — what's left
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bear — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. charge — a price

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