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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fine — all right
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. sharp — clever
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — for betting
  8. snap — to click
  9. key — in music
  10. fine — high quality
  11. lie — to recline
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. key — for a lock
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — of the year
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. chip — to eat
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. key — the most important part

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