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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: march · mouse · rule · object · wave · firm

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rule — a law
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. firm — decided
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. object — an aim
  9. rule — government
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. object — to protest
  13. march — music
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — steady
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. march — the month
  18. object — a thing

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