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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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. spell — letters
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. rush — hurry
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. spell — magic
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. rule — government
  19. spell — a short time
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. rule — a law
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. ruler — for measuring

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