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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. firm — a company
  3. mate — a partner
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. press — a publisher
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. press — newspapers
  11. ball — a dance
  12. mate — to breed
  13. firm — steady
  14. chip — to eat
  15. rule — a law
  16. mate — a friend
  17. rule — government
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. firm — decided
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. ball — a great time
  22. press — to push
  23. chip — for betting
  24. rule — to rule out

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