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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. spell — magic
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — government
  8. mate — to breed
  9. spell — a short time
  10. spell — letters
  11. squash — the sport
  12. last — final
  13. last — to go on
  14. squash — to crush
  15. key — the most important part
  16. mate — a friend
  17. key — for a lock
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. key — in music
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. last — finally
  22. mate — a partner
  23. dip — to sink
  24. squash — the vegetable

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