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

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. file — a line of people
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pound — a weight
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. file — a tool
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. rule — government
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. file — a document
  18. rule — a law

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