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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 had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. kid — child
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. snap — to click
  10. lie — to recline
  11. game — wild animals
  12. game — a match
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. suit — clothes
  15. track — a song
  16. track — a path
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. kid — to tease
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. track — to keep track
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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