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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. dip — to sink
  3. mate — a friend
  4. lean — to bend
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. mate — a partner
  11. object — to protest
  12. suit — in cards
  13. object — a thing
  14. rule — a law
  15. lean — thin
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. bark — to shout
  19. rule — government
  20. suit — clothes
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. object — an aim

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