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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. last — to go on
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. last — finally
  6. lean — thin
  7. rush — hurry
  8. prune — to trim
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. wound — an injury
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. last — final
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. wound — an injury
  18. lean — to bend
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. snap — to click
  21. can — a tin
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — the fruit

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