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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. rule — a law
  3. key — the most important part
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. prune — to trim
  6. can — a tin
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. rule — government
  11. face — to point toward
  12. key — for a lock
  13. can — to be able to
  14. face — to confront
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. prune — to trim
  18. key — in music
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. can — a tin
  23. face — part of the head
  24. prune — the fruit

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