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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. rule — government
  4. sharp — clever
  5. rock — music
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. prune — to trim
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. firm — steady
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. prune — to trim
  14. firm — decided
  15. rule — a law
  16. bore — to drill
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. dip — to sink
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. firm — a company
  23. rock — a stone
  24. lie — to recline

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