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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 120 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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Word bank
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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. key — for a lock
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. rule — a law
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. fall — the season
  7. present — the time now
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. rule — government
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. key — in music
  12. fall — to drop
  13. chip — for betting
  14. scale — in music
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. present — a gift
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. key — the most important part
  21. present — there
  22. scale — size or range
  23. chip — to eat
  24. wave — with your hand

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