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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. game — wild animals
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. roll — a list
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. lie — to recline
  11. fall — to drop
  12. dip — to sink
  13. rule — government
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. rule — a law
  17. fall — the season
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a skill
  22. game — a match
  23. fall — to drop
  24. roll — a cake

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