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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. dip — to sink
  3. fine — all right
  4. root — the cause
  5. root — of a word
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. object — to protest
  10. fine — high quality
  11. wake — a trail
  12. object — a thing
  13. land — ground
  14. land — a country
  15. land — to come down
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cue — a signal
  18. root — of a plant
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. object — an aim
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. lie — to recline
  24. cue — for pool

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