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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. suit — in cards
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. wound — an injury
  5. rule — a law
  6. scale — size or range
  7. ground — a position
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. board — to get on
  10. ground — the earth
  11. row — to paddle
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. board — a committee
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. rule — government
  16. row — a line
  17. suit — clothes
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. ground — crushed
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. suit — to fit
  22. wound — an injury
  23. scale — in music
  24. wave — of the sea

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