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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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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: rush · spell · dip · bat · object · rule · straw · lie

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. object — an aim
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rule — government
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. rule — a law
  14. bat — the animal
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. rush — hurry
  17. object — a thing
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. object — to protest
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — letters
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. lie — to recline

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