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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rule — a law
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. pop — soda
  6. stem — to come from
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. key — the most important part
  9. snap — to click
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. key — for a lock
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. pop — to visit
  15. rule — government
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. pop — music
  23. key — in music
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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