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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. rock — a stone
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. pit — a hole
  8. cell — a phone
  9. wound — an injury
  10. ball — a great time
  11. rule — government
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. rule — a law
  14. cell — in biology
  15. rock — music
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. wound — an injury
  18. pit — in a race
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. ball — a dance
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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