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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. rule — government
  3. plane — a tool
  4. staff — a stick
  5. face — to confront
  6. root — of a word
  7. staff — employees
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. rule — a law
  11. face — to point toward
  12. dip — to sink
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. staff — employees
  20. root — of a plant
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. root — the cause
  23. face — part of the head
  24. dip — to dunk

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