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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  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. pass — to succeed
  2. last — finally
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. last — final
  6. rule — government
  7. rule — a law
  8. march — the month
  9. march — music
  10. suit — clothes
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — to trim
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. pass — a permit
  16. march — the month
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. dip — to sink
  19. suit — to fit
  20. lie — to recline
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. suit — in cards
  23. last — to go on
  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