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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. spell — a short time
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. lie — to recline
  6. roll — a list
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. land — a country
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. rule — government
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. land — to come down
  15. roll — a cake
  16. land — ground
  17. spell — magic
  18. rule — a law
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bear — the animal
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. spell — letters
  24. leaves — of a tree

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