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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bear — the animal
  5. current — happening now
  6. foot — a measure
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — government
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. current — electric
  11. current — of water
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rush — hurry
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. degree — from a university
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. date — the fruit
  20. bear — the animal
  21. degree — an amount
  22. degree — temperature
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. lie — to recline

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