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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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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. net — in sport
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. court — of a king
  6. rule — a law
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. net — after costs
  9. net — for catching
  10. march — the month
  11. mine — for digging
  12. rule — government
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. march — music
  16. staff — employees
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. march — the month
  19. court — of law
  20. court — for sport
  21. staff — a stick
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. staff — employees

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