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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. lie — to recline
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. dip — to sink
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. date — the fruit
  12. race — the arms race
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rule — a law
  18. rule — government
  19. race — humankind
  20. pitch — completely
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. race — a contest
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. lie — an untruth

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