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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 124 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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bank — for money
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. deal — to handle
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. craft — a skill
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. sharp — clever
  12. bank — of a river
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. snap — to click
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. craft — boats
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bank — for money
  24. deal — a big deal

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