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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. tear — from crying
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. pop — music
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. dip — to sink
  8. pop — to visit
  9. lean — thin
  10. wound — an injury
  11. tear — to rip
  12. wound — an injury
  13. deal — to handle
  14. rule — government
  15. pop — soda
  16. lean — to bend
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. tear — from crying
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. pass — a permit

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