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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 116 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. last — to go on
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. suit — clothes
  8. suit — in cards
  9. suit — to fit
  10. shower — rain
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. last — finally
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. rule — government
  17. last — final
  18. dip — to sink
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. shower — to wash
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. rule — a law
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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