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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 120 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. track — to keep track
  3. mug — a cup
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rule — government
  8. lie — to recline
  9. rush — hurry
  10. root — of a plant
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rest — a break
  13. squash — the sport
  14. mug — a face
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. track — a song
  18. rule — a law
  19. rest — what's left
  20. squash — to crush
  21. root — of a word
  22. track — a path
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. root — the cause

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