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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a trace
  4. lean — thin
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. bass — low music
  7. rule — government
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lie — to recline
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. bass — the fish
  14. lean — to bend
  15. rule — a law
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. object — to protest
  18. mark — a grade
  19. key — in music
  20. dip — to sink
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. key — for a lock
  24. object — an aim

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