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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 120 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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. lie — to recline
  3. ground — the earth
  4. firm — decided
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — a gift
  7. snap — to click
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. face — to confront
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — to protest
  12. ground — crushed
  13. face — part of the head
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. ground — a position
  17. firm — a company
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. object — an aim
  20. present — there
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. face — to point toward
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. firm — steady

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