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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. prune — to trim
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. date — the fruit
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. drill — a practice
  11. drill — army training
  12. kick — in football
  13. board — to get on
  14. rule — government
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. dip — to sink
  18. rule — a law
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — a committee
  24. prune — to trim

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