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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — the fruit
  4. rash — hasty
  5. march — music
  6. board — to get on
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. march — the month
  9. land — to come down
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — a cup
  12. march — the month
  13. land — a country
  14. board — a committee
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. mug — to rob
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. dip — to sink
  22. land — ground
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rash — a series

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