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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 ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. rest — a break
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. rest — what's left
  6. court — of a king
  7. snap — to click
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to sink
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. court — for sport
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. lie — to recline
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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