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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. rock — a stone
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pop — music
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pop — soda
  11. date — the fruit
  12. lie — to recline
  13. rock — music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. rule — a law
  17. race — humankind
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. race — a contest
  20. rule — government
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. race — the arms race
  24. hide — to keep secret

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