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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. snap — to click
  3. bear — the animal
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bear — the animal
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. object — an aim
  17. object — to protest
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. object — a thing
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. rock — music

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