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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 116 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. spell — a short time
  3. cue — a signal
  4. spell — magic
  5. cue — a hint
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — the cause
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. spell — letters
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. fall — to drop
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. cold — an illness
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. fall — the season
  18. rule — government
  19. cold — not warm
  20. fall — to drop
  21. rule — a law
  22. root — of a word
  23. cue — for pool
  24. leaves — lets stay

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