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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 124 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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  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. squash — the sport
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. lie — to recline
  4. charge — in control
  5. mate — a friend
  6. charge — a price
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a partner
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. rush — hurry
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. squash — to crush
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. spell — a short time
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — letters
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. charge — electricity
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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