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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: dip · cabinet · wave · rule · ruler · last · bowl · wake

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — government
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wake — a trail
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. last — final
  14. last — finally
  15. rule — a law
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. last — to go on
  23. dip — to sink
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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