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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. clip — for paper
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. rule — government
  8. prune — to trim
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. prune — to trim
  14. clip — a video
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. clip — to cut
  19. snap — to click
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — to bear
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. rule — a law

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