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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. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. face — part of the head
  4. kick — in football
  5. bark — to shout
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. face — to point toward
  9. ground — crushed
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. face — to confront
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. ground — the earth
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. ground — a position
  21. rule — a law
  22. dip — to sink
  23. rule — government
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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