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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. rush — hurry
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. squash — to crush
  6. lie — to recline
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. rule — a law
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. date — the fruit
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. chip — to eat
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. capital — money
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. squash — the sport
  21. chip — for betting
  22. wax — to grow
  23. capital — a city
  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