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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. can — a tin
  3. last — finally
  4. rule — government
  5. saw — the tool
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. saw — the tool
  8. game — a match
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. last — to go on
  13. game — wild animals
  14. rule — a law
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stand — to bear
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. last — final
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. game — a kind of play

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