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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 116 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. mate — a partner
  8. march — music
  9. march — the month
  10. snap — to click
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. sharp — clever
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. mate — to breed
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. lie — to recline
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. march — the month
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. mate — a friend
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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