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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 124 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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. 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. fall — to drop
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fall — to drop
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. cap — of ice
  9. fine — all right
  10. cap — a hat
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. fall — the season
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. cap — a lid
  17. lean — thin
  18. bark — to shout
  19. lean — to bend
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rule — government
  22. fine — high quality
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. 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