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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 120 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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. face — to confront
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — hurry
  5. bore — to tire
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bore — to drill
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. lie — to recline
  11. fine — high quality
  12. snap — to click
  13. ball — a dance
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. face — part of the head
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. fine — all right
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. face — to point toward
  21. ball — a great time
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bore — gave birth

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