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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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. lie — an untruth
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. snap — to click
  6. game — a match
  7. lean — thin
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. lie — to recline
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. lean — to bend
  13. cue — for pool
  14. pit — in a race
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — a hint
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. game — wild animals
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. pit — a hole

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