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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  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. leaves — lets stay
  2. lie — to recline
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. rash — a series
  8. dip — to sink
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. mark — a trace
  13. stem — to come from
  14. board — to get on
  15. board — a committee
  16. date — the fruit
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. rash — hasty
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. stem — of a plant
  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