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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 120 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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. rule — a law
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. rock — music
  5. rest — a break
  6. rule — government
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fall — to drop
  9. pit — in a race
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. fall — the season
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bound — tied together
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pit — a hole
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. fall — to drop
  20. bound — obliged
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bound — certain
  24. lie — an untruth

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