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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. fine — high quality
  3. suit — to fit
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. rest — what's left
  7. fine — all right
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. snap — to click
  12. row — to paddle
  13. bass — the fish
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. row — a line
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. suit — in cards
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bass — low music
  22. rest — a break
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. suit — clothes

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