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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. lean — thin
  4. net — for catching
  5. net — in sport
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. net — after costs
  11. lie — to recline
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. spell — letters
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — a short time
  16. key — for a lock
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. key — the most important part
  20. snap — to click
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. lean — to bend
  23. key — in music
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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