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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. lie — to recline
  4. rule — a law
  5. march — music
  6. march — the month
  7. march — the month
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. can — a tin
  13. rule — government
  14. object — an aim
  15. bark — to shout
  16. object — a thing
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. object — to protest
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. land — a country
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. land — ground

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