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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. tear — from crying
  3. rule — government
  4. clip — a video
  5. dip — to sink
  6. rule — a law
  7. tear — from crying
  8. staff — employees
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. staff — a stick
  11. tear — to rip
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. pop — to visit
  14. firm — decided
  15. clip — for paper
  16. firm — steady
  17. pop — music
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. clip — to cut
  21. rash — a series
  22. firm — a company
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. staff — employees

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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