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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 116 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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468
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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. rule — a law
  3. mark — a trace
  4. rule — government
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. dip — to sink
  11. pass — a permit
  12. mark — a grade
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. wind — moving air
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. bark — of a tree

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