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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. spell — a short time
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. spell — letters
  8. stem — to come from
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pitch — completely
  12. tear — from crying
  13. lie — to recline
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. tear — from crying
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. spell — magic
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. rule — a law
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. tear — to rip
  24. rule — to rule out

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