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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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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. rule — a law
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. ball — a dance
  16. dip — to sink
  17. ball — a great time
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. lean — thin
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rule — government
  24. pit — a hole

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