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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. firm — decided
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. firm — a company
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. lie — to recline
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. firm — steady
  14. suit — to fit
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. season — of the year
  17. bore — to drill
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. suit — in cards
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bore — to tire
  23. season — in sport
  24. dip — to sink

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