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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. rash — a series
  4. bass — the fish
  5. rule — government
  6. rule — a law
  7. firm — decided
  8. rash — hasty
  9. bass — low music
  10. rest — a break
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. firm — a company
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. rest — what's left
  18. firm — steady
  19. rest — what's left
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. stand — to bear
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. stand — on your feet

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