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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. row — to paddle
  3. current — electric
  4. current — of water
  5. land — ground
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. cap — of ice
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. cap — a hat
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. row — a line
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. cap — a lid
  16. land — to come down
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — a law
  21. current — happening now
  22. land — a country
  23. roll — a cake
  24. deal — to handle

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