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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. can — a tin
  4. root — the cause
  5. spring — of water
  6. root — of a word
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. can — a tin
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. lie — to recline
  11. net — in sport
  12. net — after costs
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. snap — to click
  16. can — to be able to
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. spring — a coil
  19. deal — to handle
  20. root — of a plant
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. spring — the season
  23. net — for catching
  24. deal — an agreement

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