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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. rule — government
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. firm — steady
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. firm — decided
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. firm — a company
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. rule — a law
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. kid — child
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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