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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 120 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. lie — to recline
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. spell — a short time
  6. land — to come down
  7. chip — to eat
  8. spell — letters
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. land — ground
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. rule — government
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. chip — for betting
  19. spell — magic
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. rule — a law
  22. land — a country
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. dip — a sauce

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