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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. rule — government
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. spell — letters
  9. pit — a hole
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. spell — a short time
  12. rest — what's left
  13. lie — to recline
  14. spell — magic
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. wake — a trail
  21. rest — a break
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. rule — a law

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