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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.

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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. row — a line
  3. club — a group
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. club — for golf
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. dip — to sink
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. craft — a skill
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. staff — employees
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. staff — a stick
  18. row — to paddle
  19. club — for dancing
  20. rule — a law
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. lie — to recline
  24. staff — employees

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