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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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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. pass — to spend time
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. pass — a permit
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. spell — magic
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stand — to bear
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stock — goods
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. snap — to click
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. stock — shares
  18. spell — a short time
  19. lie — to recline
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bat — the animal
  22. spell — letters
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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