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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. pop — music
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pitch — completely
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. rule — a law
  13. scale — size or range
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. rule — government
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. pop — soda
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — shares
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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