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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 120 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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. lie — to recline
  3. wound — an injury
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a signal
  6. sharp — clever
  7. wound — an injury
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bound — certain
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. pop — music
  15. bound — obliged
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bound — tied together
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. cue — a hint
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — to visit

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