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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mug — a face
  3. pass — a permit
  4. current — happening now
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. track — a path
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. current — electric
  10. rule — government
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mate — a friend
  14. current — of water
  15. rule — a law
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. mug — to rob
  19. track — a song
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. track — to keep track
  23. dip — to sink
  24. lie — an untruth

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