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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. chest — of your body
  5. ground — crushed
  6. ground — a position
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. ground — the earth
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. chest — a box
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. chair — a leader
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. rule — government
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rule — a law
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. chest — of your body

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