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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 120 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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. rush — hurry
  5. snap — to click
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. ball — a dance
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. lie — to recline
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — in the ear

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