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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. file — a tool
  3. firm — steady
  4. snap — to click
  5. file — a line of people
  6. lie — to recline
  7. face — part of the head
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. face — to point toward
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. firm — decided
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. wax — to grow
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. file — a document
  21. firm — a company
  22. face — to confront
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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