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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. game — wild animals
  3. rest — what's left
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — government
  7. rash — a series
  8. foot — a measure
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. rash — hasty
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bulb — for light
  21. game — a match
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bulb — for light

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