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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. face — to confront
  3. present — there
  4. wax — to grow
  5. suit — to fit
  6. rule — government
  7. ground — a position
  8. face — part of the head
  9. season — in sport
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. present — a gift
  14. rule — a law
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. season — of the year
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. suit — in cards
  19. face — to point toward
  20. ground — the earth
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. ground — crushed
  23. suit — clothes
  24. present — the time now

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