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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  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 — to recline
  2. club — a group
  3. club — for dancing
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. season — of the year
  8. club — for golf
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. dip — to sink
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mine — for digging
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. snap — to click
  20. season — in sport
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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