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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. rule — government
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. spell — letters
  6. cap — of ice
  7. spell — a short time
  8. spell — magic
  9. dip — to sink
  10. cap — a lid
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. cap — a hat
  16. stand — to bear
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. rule — a law
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. lash — an eyelash

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