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

Word bank: suit · rule · stick · firm · wave · saw · bowl · snap

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. firm — decided
  5. snap — to click
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. suit — in cards
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. saw — the tool
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. firm — a company
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. suit — clothes
  15. rule — a law
  16. saw — the tool
  17. suit — to fit
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. firm — steady

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