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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. swing — to play on
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. mug — a face
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — a stone
  12. swing — in golf
  13. mug — to rob
  14. rule — a law
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. rock — music
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. rule — government
  20. swing — music
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bowl — a dish

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