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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  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. dip — to sink
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. foot — a measure
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ball — a great time
  7. current — happening now
  8. ball — a dance
  9. current — of water
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rule — a law
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rule — government
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. hand — help
  21. current — electric
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. hand — in cards
  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