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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. snap — to click
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. club — a group
  5. mate — a partner
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. perch — the fish
  8. mate — a friend
  9. stand — to bear
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. club — for golf
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. lie — to recline
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. club — for dancing
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. drill — army training
  22. drill — the tool
  23. mate — to breed
  24. stand — for spectators

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