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

Word bank: wave · firm · dip · chair · rule · deal

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. firm — a company
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. rule — a law
  11. rule — government
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — to handle
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. firm — steady
  16. dip — to sink
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. chair — a leader

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