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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 116 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 like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. lean — thin
  4. rule — government
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. lean — to bend
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rash — hasty
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. capital — money
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. capital — a city
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. rash — a series
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to sink
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. rule — a law
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. pass — a permit

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