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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — a series
  3. ground — a position
  4. lean — to bend
  5. ground — the earth
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. ground — crushed
  8. mug — a cup
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. snap — to click
  12. dip — to sink
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. board — to get on
  18. lean — thin
  19. lie — to recline
  20. mug — to rob
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. board — a committee
  23. mug — a face
  24. rash — hasty

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