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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — in a race
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. rush — hurry
  7. root — of a plant
  8. rule — government
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. track — a path
  11. root — the cause
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. track — a song
  16. dip — to sink
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. pit — a hole
  22. rule — a law
  23. lie — to recline
  24. root — of a word

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