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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. fall — to drop
  3. file — a line of people
  4. fall — to drop
  5. rule — government
  6. pound — a weight
  7. object — an aim
  8. fall — the season
  9. object — to protest
  10. file — a document
  11. dip — to sink
  12. row — to paddle
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. bulb — for light
  15. object — a thing
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. file — a tool
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. row — a line
  24. row — a quarrel

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