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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — a law
  4. sharp — clever
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — a price
  12. net — after costs
  13. rock — a stone
  14. scale — size or range
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bear — the animal
  17. net — for catching
  18. rock — music
  19. net — in sport
  20. scale — in music
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. rule — government

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