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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  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. prune — to trim
  2. rule — government
  3. suit — in cards
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — to sink
  6. key — in music
  7. face — part of the head
  8. rule — a law
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. face — to confront
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. key — for a lock
  14. face — to point toward
  15. suit — to fit
  16. ground — crushed
  17. suit — clothes
  18. key — the most important part
  19. ground — a position
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. ground — the earth
  22. prune — to trim
  23. dip — a sauce
  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