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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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rule — government
  7. rule — a law
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. net — after costs
  11. dip — to sink
  12. suit — in cards
  13. pitch — completely
  14. net — for catching
  15. net — in sport
  16. suit — to fit
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. roll — a cake
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. suit — clothes

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