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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rule — government
  5. firm — a company
  6. pop — soda
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. firm — decided
  11. pop — music
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. firm — steady
  14. saw — the tool
  15. rock — music
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rock — a stone
  18. pop — to visit
  19. ground — crushed
  20. lie — to recline
  21. rule — a law
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. ground — the earth
  24. ground — a position

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