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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. rash — hasty
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. club — for golf
  6. club — for dancing
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. last — to go on
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rule — a law
  13. wax — to grow
  14. rule — government
  15. last — finally
  16. board — a committee
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. rash — a series
  20. club — a group
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wake — a trail
  23. last — final
  24. wake — before a funeral

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