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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. cap — of ice
  3. file — a line of people
  4. club — for dancing
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. rule — a law
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — a hat
  14. club — a group
  15. rule — government
  16. club — for golf
  17. stock — shares
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. file — a document
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. file — a tool
  22. dip — to sink
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. stock — goods

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