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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. last — to go on
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. last — final
  14. pound — a weight
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. rule — government
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — to bear
  22. fork — in a road
  23. rule — a law
  24. last — finally

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