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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. 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. court — for sport
  2. tear — from crying
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. snap — to click
  8. court — of a king
  9. mug — a cup
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. tear — from crying
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. court — of law
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mug — a face
  17. tear — to rip
  18. 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