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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. spell — letters
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. spell — magic
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. fall — to drop
  10. spell — a short time
  11. snap — to click
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. ball — a great time
  21. fall — the season
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. lie — an untruth

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