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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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. snap — to click
  3. club — for golf
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. lie — to recline
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. bulb — for light
  10. club — a group
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bulb — for light
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. club — for dancing
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — a tool
  18. suit — clothes
  19. toast — bread
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. suit — in cards
  24. nail — for a hammer

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