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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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. cap — a lid
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. cap — of ice
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bulb — for light
  13. board — a committee
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. lie — to recline
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cap — a hat
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. rule — a law
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. board — to get on
  24. snap — to click

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