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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. rest — a break
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. game — wild animals
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. bank — of a river
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bank — for money
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. wound — an injury
  12. rest — what's left
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bank — for money
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. snap — to click
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. bowl — a dish

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