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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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. bank — for money
  3. mate — a friend
  4. bank — of a river
  5. mate — a partner
  6. ground — a position
  7. ground — crushed
  8. bank — for money
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ball — a dance
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. mate — to breed
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. snap — to click
  22. lie — to recline
  23. ground — the earth
  24. lie — an untruth

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