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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — a law
  3. mate — a friend
  4. rush — hurry
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. cue — a signal
  7. pound — a weight
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. key — for a lock
  14. rule — government
  15. key — in music
  16. cue — a hint
  17. mate — to breed
  18. season — of the year
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. cue — for pool
  21. key — the most important part
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. season — in sport
  24. mate — a partner

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