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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 116 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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. firm — a company
  3. shower — to wash
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. rock — music
  8. firm — steady
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. object — to protest
  15. rock — a stone
  16. firm — decided
  17. rule — government
  18. object — an aim
  19. shower — rain
  20. rule — a law
  21. object — a thing
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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