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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. chair — a leader
  3. perch — the fish
  4. rule — government
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. dip — to sink
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. lie — to recline
  11. present — a gift
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. rush — hurry
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — a stone
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rule — a law
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. present — there
  24. present — the time now

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