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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. firm — decided
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. cold — an illness
  7. branch — a division
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. firm — steady
  10. firm — a company
  11. fine — high quality
  12. drill — army training
  13. cold — not warm
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. snap — to click
  18. suit — in cards
  19. drill — the tool
  20. drill — a practice
  21. suit — clothes
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. suit — to fit
  24. fine — all right

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