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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. lie — to recline
  4. face — to point toward
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. craft — a skill
  7. face — to confront
  8. drill — army training
  9. drill — a practice
  10. craft — boats
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. firm — steady
  13. rule — a law
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. snap — to click
  16. drill — the tool
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fall — to drop
  19. face — part of the head
  20. fall — the season
  21. rule — government
  22. firm — a company
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. firm — decided

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