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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 116 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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. dip — to sink
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rule — a law
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. shower — to wash
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. shower — rain
  21. lie — to recline
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. snap — to click
  24. rule — to rule out

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