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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lie · rule · pass · squash · mark · mouse · face · dip

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. rule — government
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. lie — to recline
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. face — to confront
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. dip — to sink
  12. mark — a trace
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. squash — to crush
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rule — a law
  18. face — part of the head
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pass — a permit
  22. squash — the sport
  23. face — to point toward
  24. mark — a grade

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