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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. rule — government
  4. spell — a short time
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. march — music
  7. bulb — for light
  8. spell — letters
  9. march — the month
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. stand — to bear
  12. march — the month
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rush — hurry
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. rule — a law
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. spell — magic
  22. bulb — for light
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. bowl — a football final

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